Seeking Shelter
by LadyjValentine
Summary: Modern AU, Ned Stark has been elected Vice-President of the United States. He has a new responsibility of running the entire country for Robert and two daughters to look after in Washington DC, he hardly has time to see hidden enemies lurking around every corner and the past that keeps coming back to haunt him and his family.
1. Beginning To Get To Me

**My Notes**

**Hey guys, I just wanted to say thank you for giving this a chance, I really hope you enjoy it. It starts in the same (kind of) place as the books and will follow the course of all the books with some similar events and some different event. **

**I own nothing at all in this world and certainly not the ASOIAF, which belongs to GMMR. **

**This story is a slow burner and I don't know whether to apologise for that or not but I promise you the development does go somewhere eventually. I tried to keep personalities as close to the characters in the books (and TV show) but I have aged them and they have been moulded to the story to fit in with the modern times.**

**It is rated M because it has Adult themes, swearing, violence, more swearing, and Sexual Relation. **

**Also another point to make, there will be 2/3 POV characters per chapter, (Apart from the first chapter which is just 1) hopefully it won't get too confusing. **

**And furthermore I apologise for any spellings mistakes, confusing sentences, and to any persons who know a lot about American politics I am so so so sorry, my knowledge is vague at best. **

**So if anyone wants to ask me questions, or give me advice on how to improve there is a review box. **

**Thank you very much and I hope you enjoy**

* * *

**Chapter 1 **

**Arya **

"Arya, have you stolen my black strappy Prada heels? They look like this pair but without a red sole" Sansa shoved the pair of black shoes in her sister face, her eyes looking desperate.

"Sansa I'm online, can this wait?" Arya hissed not tearing her eyes away from the TV, her Xbox controller tight in her sweaty palms. Her hands had started to cramp from hours of play although she would rather this than finish packing. The moment Arya finished packing up her life in Winterfell would be the moment she admitted defeat and she would have to say goodbye to her old and true life in New Jersey. "Urgh, what twat is using a Granada Launcher for fuck sake?" She grumbled "I have a pack of noobs Sansa. You don't understand this pain."

Sansa watched from the side of her "You have Advanced UAV" she pointed out

"Thanks"

"No problem" Sansa had never played Modern Warfare 3 but she had watched Arya and her brothers play it enough to be a helpful spectator.

The round ended "Fuck yeah" Arya hollered raising her arms in the air in triumph. "See that, I carried my team through that, twenty-nine kills and four deaths, top of the leader board. Pretty damn good his you ask me" Arya complimented herself then left the online lobby. "So what's up?" She finally turned to her older sister.

"I was just packing and I couldn't find my new Prada shoes, I was wondering if you have taken them" She had been packing and unpacking then colour coding to pack again for at least three hours. Arya didn't know why Sansa was so eager to leave for Washington DC. Admittedly she couldn't understand most things that went through her perfect sisters mind but this confused her most of all.

"No, why the fuck would I want to take your shoes, are you sure you haven't put them in luggage bag A over there." Arya mocked her, pointing to a small handbag on top of six suitcases all containing parts of Sansa's vast wardrobe.

Sansa giggled to herself "Oh don't be silly Arya that is 'Hand toiletries and trinkets' I explained this to you earlier. A is hands, B is face and ears, C is –"

"Oh God please no more, this is a worse torture than water boarding." She pushed herself off the sofa and went to her own poorly packed bags on the opposite side of the gaming room. Three large travel cases containing her entire life, _it's not enough_, _all my belonging, my martial art trophies, clothes, photos and everything else_, that wasn't her life, she was leaving her life behind, everything in those bags was superficial crap. "Why don't you just pack the ones in your hand? As you said they look exactly the same"

"I am packing these, I need the strappy ones to wear tomorrow when the Baratheons arrive" She swooned dreamily. _Stupid sweet sixteen year old Sansa, if she starts talking about Joffery Fucking Baratheon again I am going out that window._

"Are you two still not packed yet?" Bran chirped from the door wheeling himself on to the wooden floor of the games room. Every room in Winterfell had been fitted with wooden floors after the plane crash that left Bran in a wheel chair. "Of course, you two could forget about packing and stay here with me." He smiled sadly and stopped in front of Sansa.

She nipped his cheek like he was a small child rather than the thirteen year old "Aww, we would love to stay here with you but we need to go south with father."

"We don't _need _to go anywhere" Arya hissed "Dad doesn't need to leave either, when he was the Senator of New Jersey he visited Washington and was home all the time. I don't see why we have to completely move to another fucking house. Splitting up the family, it isn't right." Arya huffed. Bran merely rolled his eyes in a way that managed to piss her off even more.

Sansa gasped "Would you stop swearing! What if mother heard? She would go mental at all of us" she said in that perfect condescending voice that she had mastered since she said her first words.

"You two have to go at least, it would be better if we all could, however that isn't possible" Bran admitted sighing to himself. "He is the Vice-President now. He has to be transferred down to Washington D.C completely to help Robert run America, it is a big deal. It's just like in the campaign, our family has to be a perfect family, it is expected of us because we are Starks, a pack of fighters. Have you never heard that saying 'a lone wolf dies while a pack survives' even a split pack is better than no pack at all."

"But why can't you come?" Arya said without thinking "and what about Robb, or Jon, or Rickon or even Theon for fuck sake."

Bran smirked "Robb is in college here and is going to be holding up the family name, Rickon has to stay with mom and Theon... We can't except Theon to be accepted in Washington, not with his family background and me?" he shivered "you're travelling by plane, they aren't really my thing anymore."

"And Jon?" _and Jon? _She felt like she had said that saying too many times in her life time, her quote 'half-brother' that everyone kept forgetting about.

All the likeness Sansa had with Robb (the Tully auburn hair, the perfect pale complexion, blue eyes and socialite personalities)it was the same for Arya and Jon. They had Stark grey eyes, the Stark black hair, long square faces and withdrawn personality, although, it had been pointed out by Theon that Jon did have a larger chest than Arya.

They heard shouting echo around the halls of Winterfell, their father's voice coming from his office "I forbid it!" he bellowed with a rage that Arya had never heard before.

"Ok dad, I get it, you ignore me for the first 19 years of my life but when I finally want to make something of myself you have to complete shit on my plans" Jon responded with an equal amount of anger.

Arya turned to Sansa and both of them followed the noise treading quietly no matter how unlike it would be for them to be heard over all the shouting.

The office door was shut and Robb was standing arms folded outside, his styled auburn hair in soft ringlets framing his face much like Sansa's did.

He put his finger to his lips to Ssh Arya and Sansa. The shouting continued behind the door, "How do you expect me to do anything with my life if you won't let me" Jon asked.

"You can do anything with your life, find a wife, get a job, move anyway from New Jersey. Anything, but I won't have you joining the army."

"Why? You were in the fucking army, and so is uncle Benjen"

"Yes and so was my father and my older brother and my little sister and they are all dead now." It went silent and Ned's voice dropped to a quiet pained hiss "I don't want another Stark dying in combat"

The door swung open then and Jon stood their facing Ned "Lucky for you, I'm not a Stark, am I?" Jon didn't wait for an answer. He turned slamming the door with so much force the strong walls of Winterfell shook.

Arya wanted to follow Jon down the hall but Robb put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. She went to leave as she caught her mother glaring from down the hall with a twinkle in her eye that almost looked like happiness.


	2. Chapter 2 - Thanks For The Memories

**My Note – Hey guys, second installment. Just going to point out a few thing, this has a long back-story that all twisted together, it was a huge back story that I have kind of cut down considerably but it is still quite long and there is a lot of mention of it especially in this chapter. If you have any questions about anything that you find confusing, I will try to explain, but there are chances I will probably elaborate on them later on in the story, so be patient. **

**Also I added a new character (ish) Steffon he is Robert and Cersei's youngest son, he had black hair and would be eight when this story is set. In the TV Cersei talks about a black haired child, well this one grew up.**

** If you are confused about ages of the children because I have altered from the original it goes**

**Theon – 21**

**Robb, Jon – 19**

**Joffery – 18**

**Sansa – 16**

**Arya – 14**

**Bran – 13**

**Myrcella – 13**

**Tommen – 10**

**Rickon – 9**

**I own nothing, GRRM owns everything, sorry about any mistakes, I have taken care to reread this chapter and I have tried to perfect it, but if there are mistakes, my gracious apologies. Ok, I'll stop making this chapter long than it needs to be, hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 2 **

**Bran**

It had been years since Bran had last seen the Baratheons. He used to see Robert all the time when has younger and could travel south to Washington D.C. He had seen Tommen and Myrcella last time he visited Casterly Rock, which was the last time he saw Cersei as well.

He groaned as his head started to ache again. Ever since the crash three years earlier he always got headaches whilst he was tried to remember Casterly Rock. He remembered the crash vividly though and often woke up screaming from his sleep reaching out to see if his legs were still there. They were, but not much good they did him anymore.

The Baratheon visit brought back those memories as he was getting dressed that morning.

It was his tenth birthday and his family were staying on the vast Lannisters estate called Casterly Rock. As a gift, Cersei had arranged for Bran to have an aerial tour of the entire grounds by one of Tywin's many light aircraft. Both Tommen and Steffon were suppose to attend the birthday tour. Only Steffon came as Tommen had fallen ill. His nanny named Maggy also came.

Steffon was excited to see the trees that shone with autumn gold and the lake gleaming below in the sunlight. He giggled softly with the turbulence and kept wishing Bran a happy birthday. He said to Bran this is what it felt like to be a bird and if he was a bird he would like to be a toucan. Both he and Maggy died in the crash.

It was never said why the plane went down. Tywin Lannister said to the paper it was an unavoidable accident. A bird had flown one of the engines and it caused the manufacture. All Bran knew was that there were screams and as the plane hit the ground he was knocked unconscious, he woke up from a coma two months later with a piece of shrapnel lodged in his spine that meant he would never walk again. Another thing he knew was that when he asked his parents about it, they never called it an accident.

He hated remembering it, although it never brought him pain anymore, only questions. He had spent many months learning about light aircraft. He had to stop because he was advised not to by his therapist.

"I feel like the Von Trapp family" he was broken from his inner thoughts by Sansa's whine from the room next to his. "Why do we have to wear matching outfits we look so stupid."

"Shut up Sansa!" Arya boomed from her own room "We all have our own problems. I have to wear a dress!"

"Yes, I know, the same dress as me!" she answered back "Joffery is going to think –"

"Oh my god don't you even start with that right now!" Robb shouted from even further away. "Arya, you have to wear the dress for like ten minutes then you can do what you like, burn it for all I care. Sansa you look beautiful in everything, who cares if you are wearing the same thing as Arya?"

That stopped the argument then Sansa chirped "Do you think Joffery will think I am beautiful?" she asked, it was followed by a dramatically frustrated moan from Arya.

"I hope he thinks you are hideous." Robb laughed "I don't want that little shit anywhere near you, he's a playboy and the youngest Senator in American History, it means he is going to be a stuck up prick."

"Language Robb!" Catelyn called from downstairs "And would you all hurry up they will be here any minute."

Bran looked up at his poster of Mewtwo as he tied his tie around his neck. "Did you ever have family problems like this with Mew?" he asked the poster then smirked at his own stupidity "Of course not, everyone knows that out of Mew and yourself you were the difficult one to live with." He pulled on his grey sweater that he had been given and sat his black pork pie hat on top of his head of copper ringlets.

When he was outside sitting in his chair waiting for the Baratheon's arrived he did notice how everyone was wearing the same. Him, Rickon, Jon and Robb were all wearing grey sweaters and black ties even though Jon had to stand with the help with Theon. However, Theon wasn't forced to wear the matching sweater.

Bran regretted not wearing more layers. It was earlier January and light snow was falling. Robb was wearing his fur deerstalking hat, a black trench coat and boots. Jon was in his brown leather jacket, and Rickon was in a sheep skin trench coat specially made for the 9 year old. Bran shivered in his chair hoping the Baratheon's would arrive soon.

As excepted though they were late, it was rolling onto midday when six black Bentleys complete with flapping American flags pulling into the Stark's courtyard. The doors on the second car opened and men in pricey looking suits stepping out to go to the third car and forth to open the doors.

From the third car stepped President Robert Baratheon. He was a large man with an impressive beard that was probably only grown to cover up his many chins. He bounded over to Ned and flung his arms around him "Sorry I haven't been up to see you in the last few weeks, too busy celebrating my own success" he boomed with a low warm voice "I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm so happy we can finally work together to look after this damn country. Just like old times"

Cersei was helped out of the Bentleys by her twin brother Jaime. They were both golden with their hair fluttering in the winter winds. Cersei was as beautiful as she had always been in an extravagant red and gold office dress and heels taller than anything his mother or sisters owned.

Jaime was as handsome as she was beautiful. As head of Robert security he wore the traditional black suit but still wore his red and gold Lannisters band around his right arm to show where his heart truly lied.

The sight of them made Bran headache like it did when he was trying to remember. Robert stepped in front of him and tutted "such a shame, I can see the Stark's fighting spirit in you, unfair that is has to go to waste."

Bran tried not to frown too sharply or purse his lips in a menacing fashion instead he took a deep breath "I think me being in front of you is enough evidence to show that my fighting spirit has not gone to waste" He smiled lightly and watched the fat mans blue eyes twinkle.

He let out a low chuckle "I think the boy is right" he pushed Bran's hat lower onto his head and moved on to Rickon.

He heard a high squeal come from Sansa as Joffery stepped out of his Bentley. He was eighteen with golden hair and sharp cheek bones just like his uncle. Wearing a black suit with a red shirt that was unbuttoned at the top, he certainly looked the part of prince charming, but there was certain coldness in his piecing green eyes.

Bran glanced up at Robb, his jaw tighten at the sight of this Joffery. They had always seen him in newspapers especially ever since his dad became president two terms ago and even more recently when he became the youngest senator in American history.

Bran remembered a conversation with his brothers and Theon. Robb said that Cersei told Robert to change the senator laws because it was an old fashioned and Joffery was ready to get himself into politics. Robert didn't want to but his wife eventually convinced him and by a hardly legal vote the law was passed. Within a month Joffery became the Senator for Virginia. Everyone had been bought off or threatened by Joffery's grandfather Tywin Lannister. His appointment to senator was the most corrupt messes in the whole eight year of Robert presidency and even though no newspaper would publish it, the country knew this was a huge mistake.

"Oh sweet Jesus" he heard Jon whisper from across the yard. For inside the car The Hound, Joffery's personal bodyguard, stepped out making the whole Bentleys raise slightly. He was taller than any man Bran had seen and probably uglier as well with a hideous burn mark on the left side of his face.

Bran remembered him from a family holiday in Stormsend when he was very young and Robert was actually seen with his wife and children. He must have been six, Arya seven, Sansa nine, Rickon three and Robb twelve. Sandor had been standing around watching over Joffery. Robb and Arya tried to antagonise him or make him smile like he was a London palace guard while Sansa was completely terrified by him. _Jon wasn't there _Bran remembered _he wasn't allowed on our family holidays._

Robert was by Sansa and Arya who were dressed in their matching grey knee length dresses. Arya tried to cover up by wearing a hoodie with the hood pulled right over her face. Sansa was wearing her white and grey fur coat. He took a glance at Sansa "So much like her mother this one, very pretty, Tully through and through" Sansa smiled back the away she did to everyone but Bran had learnt to see through the fake courtesies and see the twitching pain underneath.

Robert stood in front of Arya and pushed back her hood. The President's eyes gleamed "Wow" he sighed "You look so much like her" she knew who he was talking about. Arya's hand curled tightly into fists and her eyes shot daggered at the old man.

"Robert I think we should all get inside, the children will be getting cold" Ned shuffled looking uncomfortable.

Robert took his eyes away from Bran's fourteen year old sister and nodded "Of course, we have so much to talk about, no longer the Honourable Ned Stark, now you are Vice-President Ned Stark"

As they made their way into the house Bran had to wait for a path big enough to squeeze his chair through. He felt eyes on the back of his head and heard a whisper from Joffery "Urgh, look at him, getting in the way."

"I know my darling" Cersei said little louder than a whisper "the parents should have done what's best for him and put him out of his misery, I would have done it if he was my boy"

* * *

**Ned**

When Ned entered his office with two glasses and a bottle of his finest red he found Robert looking at the picture of Lyanna. "It's been twenty years" he sighed, pain in his voice "twenty years since I last felt truly alive, fighting for my country and with the woman I loved"

Ned set down the glasses and poured the wine "Has it really been twenty year, we have gotten old my friend." He passed Robert a glass and looked at the picture. Lyanna wearing her army uniform, her dark hair tucked neatly under her hat, her grey eyes staring stern.

"Do you ever regret not saving her?" Robert asked finishing off his first glass and nudging it into Ned's arm. "Another now" he commanded.

Ned rolled his eyes "of course I regret not saving her, sometimes, but I don't truly believe there was any way to save her from her fate" He took the glass from Robert and went back to the table to pour more wine for his President.

"Pfft, how can you talk about fate? She was to be my wife and that Targaryen took her from me. Your father should have transferred her to our camp, Vale camp. Her camp was far too close to the capital city of Valyria, too dangerous for the likes of her."

_If you truly believe that then you barely knew her _Ned thought trying not to look at the picture of his sister"It was a war Robert, we were in a war. US Army against the dictator Aerys Targaryen and his terrorist organization, we all fought for the liberation of Valyria, everyone including my sister. She was soldier like you and I, she trained with us and she was sent to war to fight for her country and sadly die for her country."

Robert took a swig of his drink "you don't truly believe that, do you?" a harsh laugh came from his throat "when you found her in Rhaegar's Tower of Joy was she in her uniform? Was she armed? Was she fighting? She didn't die for her country. She died because that little terrorist raped her till she was bloody and left her for dead." He stared at his glass for a moment with his lip quivering. Then in a fit of rage, he roared throwing his glass at the wall where is shattered.

Ned took a step forward steadying himself from his friends sudden outburst "Robert, our children and wives are also in this house. I don't want to have to get Jory in here to take you to your room."

Robert laughed again and leaned on the mantelpiece "I am calm Ned, it's just her memory." He shook his head "I know I only became president eight years ago because of her."

It was true, Ned knew it. Twenty year previous, they were cadets together and they were sent off to Valyria to fight against the overlord named Aerys Targaryen. While Ned and Robert were stuck in base camp Vale, Lyanna was on the frontline and was taken hostage after raid from the Targaryen army.

Ned's father General Rickard went to Aerys to talk peace, it unfortunately ended in the public execution of Rickard and Ned's elder brother, Brandon. After that it was true war, land battles, machine guns, and blitz from above as the US army swept across Valyria, bloody and brutality with soldier and civilian corpses piling up.

Ned and several other soldiers went on a rescue mission to find Lyanna Stark. It had been months of fighting and suffering when they finally found her in the 'Tower of Joy' which was Rhaegar Targaryen's private childhood playhouse. He didn't remember much from that day and never talked about it with anyone, especially not Robert, he just remembered it was the day he watched his sister die.

When he brought the news back to Robert it drove him near insane. The pain gave him the will power to lead an army in the final push against the Targaryen and he famously killed Lyanna's kidnapper and heir to Valyria, Rhaegar Targaryen.

After the victory over Aerys, Robert's engagement to the late Lyanna Stark became public and he was named a national hero. The story was horrifically over romanticized that Ned barely knew what was fact and what was fiction.

The Starks and Baratheons were already very famous families for different reasons. The Baratheons owned a popular timber company using a Stag symbol as a company logo. The Starks were famous for being a military family. In every single war America had fought in for the last three hundred years so had a Stark.

His father had once told Ned that 'Starks are born national treasures, they grow up to be heroes' he didn't know how true it was until after the war. General Rickard had a monument built for him in Winter Town for being a hero. Lyanna had been made out to be a damsel in distress, mourned by millions and named a national treasure because she was a woman and a Stark, not because of any of her achievements. Ned knew if she was looking down from somewhere she would have hated that.

Robert was thrusted into the limelight and showed himself to be charismatic, strong and smart, but while Ned left the army to follow a career in politics and a decade ago became Senator of New Jersey. Robert stayed in the army and rose through the ranks making important friends with families like the Tyrells and the Lannisters.

Eight years ago Robert ran for President with the help of his Father-in-law. The memory of Lyanna and Robert's fairytale got him into power. Success kept him in power into his second term and now he used Ned to get the third term. He convinced Ned to run for Vice-President so the Starks and Baratheons would be together again. Ned agreed knowing he needed to step out from his role as Senator, also only a year ago Jon Arryn – the Vice-President who was married to Ned's sister-in-law – dead of a flu that took him in the night. Robert sounded desperate for help and Ned could never say no to his friend.

"I miss her" Robert admitted breaking Ned's train of thought "I really do, I would give anything to see her again. I would give up all of this. Then again, what do I have?"

"You are President of the United States, you have a wife and children who –"

"– neither like me nor do they respect me. My wife is in cohorts with her dad and brother trying to replace me with my own son and every single day they are getting closer to succeeding. Even at work I run a government where every single person is looking out for themselves and will only do what I say if they are sure I will just end up fucking myself over. That's why I need you Ned..." He paused "I need you to help me redeem it. I have four more years. I don't want to be remembered as an embarrassment that only got into power because of pity."

Ned noticed Robert was shaking. He was hoping it was because of his emotion rather than the lack of alcohol in his system "Of course my friend, we brothers. I won't let you down" _for your sake and America's._

* * *

**Jon**

"I'm telling you guys, no word of a lie, New York girls are so much better in bed than New Jersey girls" Theon said flipping a cigarette between his fingers.

Jon had never understood why Robb looked up to Theon so much. He was a Greyjoy through and through. He was sly, brash, and too sexually active to be staying in a house with Sansa or Arya.

On Sansa's sixteenth when she was drunk, Theon and she had an incident in his bedroom. No doubt if Jon hadn't walked in at the moment and gotten Theon the hell off his half-sister more would have happened. He had never told Robb about that and promised he wouldn't as long as it never happened again.

_Why do I care?_ He wondered to himself. She didn't really care about him. Hell, She took every opportunity to point out that he was a half-brother. Then again, She had always been kind to Jon, when it was just them together in the games room he had taught her house to play Tekken, and she had helped him with girl issues once or twice pretending to be his girlfriend when desperate girls came to harsh him. Also, unlike others she had never judged him for being Ned's bastard son, and she had never been cruel to him either. People sometimes said that she was just like Catelyn, but to Jon, the resemblance would always only be skin deep. For them reasons, he was unsure how to feel about Sansa leaving.

"Best of all is college girls. Freakiest girls you will ever meet, and they are so cute when they try and act smart, but are very adventurous" Theon laughed and so did Robb.

"I didn't think you could handle a girl with a mind of her own between your legs" Arya slipped around the corner raising her eyebrows to Theon "I thought a girl with a brain intimidated you"

Theon may have blushed but he shrugged it away with his smug smile "You know every girl is my type. It's more 'bout what's between their legs more than what's between their ears."

Jon's eyes where burning into the side of Theon's head. He was wished he was Cyclopes from X-men in that moment so he could burn holes in this idiot and end him. "Well" Arya grinned sharply "nice to know that I have a chance with the last Great Greyjoy"

Theon smirked resentfully looking her up and down "I expect my girls to have tits, I don't have sex little boys."

"Hey" Jon barked "That's my sister you are talking to."

"Oh sorry, do you want me to tell her I would happily fuck her silly?" Theon spat back sizing up Jon. Theon was older than Jon by almost three years but was far skinnier, with thin shoulders and face. He had shoulder length hair that hung scraggy around his face and deep set eyes, _what do girls even see in you?_ Part of him was curious while another really didn't want to know.

They heard giggling from the basement, "Sansa?" Robb said then paused looking around at the three of them there "no one is keeping an eye on the little shit"

Robb came up with an idea that one of them must be watching Joffery or Sansa at all times. It was clear that only on the second day of the Baratheon's being there they had failed.

The three of them walked in a line and Arya followed closely behind. Jon needed to talk to her privately but it had to wait now. By the way Robb's fists were clenched and the way his ears started to turn a cherry pink it was clear this was going to get interesting.

In the basement, Winterfell had a luxurious spa that was heated by the natural springs the house was built on. In the winter they could spend the whole day down there in the pool or Jacuzzi as a family.

It was Sansa giggling. She was by the pool wearing a one piece swim suit fidderling with her iPod on the speakers. Joffery was standing near her with his hand on her back and his terrifying bodyguard was watching attentively from the other side of the pool.

When the two Starks, Greyjoy, and Snow burst into the room Sansa squealed and picked up a towel to wrap around herself. Joffery was oddly fully dressed. "What is happening here?" Robb asks in his calm politician-in-training voice.

Joffery watched the four of them carefully and then smugly smiled in a way that even made Jon's skin crawl. "We are going swimming" he answered smoothly.

"If that is the case why is it only Sansa who is half naked?" Robb responded through gritted teeth.

Joffery gave a fleeting look to his burned bodyguard as a signal to get himself closer to Robb "Have you met the Hound, my personal bodyguard"

When Robb caught sight of the huge man and looked him up and down "and why is he in here?"

"He is my bodyguard" Joffery said dumbly frowning at Robb. He folded his arms across his chest.

"Yes" Robb spat "but why is he here watching my sister swim?" he turned to the Hound, the burned side of his face was twitching slightly "do you think my sister is attractive is that why you are standing here perving over her."

Jon looked at his half-sister, she was blushing red. He had to admit that his half-sister was very pretty, too clean cut and innocent to be his type, although she did have a fairly good body, an alright chest, very skinny in a waist and good hips, if she wasn't related to him he would think she was hot. _Is it wrong to consider you half-sister hot? _He debated with himself _it is Sansa, she is barely a sister to you. If you think she is sexy then you need to lock yourself up because that is just wrong _his mind concluded.

The Hound answered him with a glare and just looked bored. "Robb, Theon, Jon... Arya? Please, could you please go, I have control over the situation" Sansa hugged the towel tighter around her chest. The Hound eye glanced quickly at her. He bent to the side slightly and lifted a larger towel that was on the chair closets to him. He passed it to her and she took care to swap it without letting any skin show. She thanked him but didn't look at his face.

"The Hound isn't looking her that way, he doesn't ogle my things" Joffery spat letting down his perfect swagger drop just an inch to let a vile bile come rolling out.

Even Sansa frowned at that comment. They had seen each other a few times throughout their childhood and Sansa had crushed hard on Joff for about a year but they weren't dating and Jon knew she certainly didn't belong to him. "Sansa, may you leave us for a second" Robb grinded his teeth not taking his eyes away from Joffery's.

"But... But" she tried to argue, his eyes caught hers and he put his hand on her shoulder and started to lead her out "Only for a second, I just want to talk to Joffery for a moment, you can hear us if you just stand outside the door.

When she left Robb almost leapt at Joffery "To start with she doesn't belong to you. Secondly, if you want to date her you need to pass the test"

Joffery glowered Robb and straightened his spine "What kind of test?"

"Just a few questions" Robb scrunched up his nose like he had smelt something foul "First question you are not a virgin are you?"

Joffery chuckled lightly and then bit his nail like he was bored of Robb "Of course not, who is even a virgin by the age of sixteen?"

"Sansa for one, and I would like to keep it that way until she is ready to find a boy better than you."

Jon and Arya struggled to contain a nervous laugh "Who do you think you are talking to me like that boy?" Joffery edged closer and so did his bodyguard.

"Don't call me boy Baratheon. I am a fucking Stark and you are in my house and you want to date my baby sister." Robb was completely eye level with Joffery but looked far more threatening than the Baratheon did. Robb had inherited Ned's brawniness while Joffery was tall, lean and truly the most pathetic streak of golden piss Jon had ever seen.

"I have a question" Greyjoy called out step forward nudging Robb back a bit whispering something in his ear "Have you ever had a threesome?"

"No, what a stupid question"

Theon smirked "I have, it was awesome, with my ex girlfriend and a friend of hers"

"What was his name?" Arya shouted out before Jon got the chance to. He looked down at her and they shared a childish smile

"Ha, you are so funny Arya Stark" Theon spat back glancing over his shoulder at her.

"And you are an idiot Theon Greyjoy" she pulled tongues at him.

Joffery tweaked then and a sly smile appeared on his thin lips "Greyjoy aye? I should have guessed because you look like a smack head."

Theon stiffed and turned back to the blond boy "Watch your mouth Joffery, my father is a very important man in charge of a very important business"

Joffery laughed coldly and a glint of pleasure flickered in his eyes "Is that what you call it, a business. You are from a family of drug dealers, thieves, and murders. The only smart one among you was your eldest brother Rodrick and that's only because he was smart enough to commit suicide rather than live with the second name Greyjoy"

Theon swung himself forward but was caught on the shoulder by the Hound "Right, the lot of you out of here, no more messing around now" his voice was a low rasp. He half-guided half -dragged Theon away from Joffery.

"And send Sansa down, I was looking forward to watching her swim" Joffery called after them when he was sure the Hound had complete control over the situation. Jon had to keep Robb walking forward after Joffery said that.

"Ignore him, he is a little shit." Jon said but he could tell Joffery had gotten under Robb's skin.

Sansa was sitting at the top of the stairs hugging her towel tightly. Her eyes glistened when she looked up at Robb and Jon. "You, get dressed now, I'll come talk to you in a few minutes." Robb commanded.

She walked away like a puppy with her tail between her legs. Jon gazed down on his smaller sister. Her hair as dark as his, her face that looked so much like their dead aunt's, even though she hated being compare to her. "Can we have a little chat please?" Jon asked pulling her out of the way of Theon who was now swearing profusely.

Arya nodded and followed him as they went up to her room. It was bigger than his room but looked smaller covered in posters and old band t-shirts. She shut the door behind her "Are you ok? I heard you arguing with dad a few days ago"

Jon smiled at the worry in her face "It's fine. I wanted to talk to you about that, I had a chat with dad this morning, and he has agreed to let me go to military school. The same one Granddad Rickard and Uncle Brandon went to."

"You mean the United States Military Academy. I am so jealous" she cooed throwing her arms around his neck, she released him a moment late grinning "Please take me with you! I'm only small I'll fit in your case."

He laughed at her but not unkindly "You know I can't do that, you have to go to Washington D.C with dad and make the family proud. He is hardly ok with me joining the army. He would have a breakdown if you ever tried to."

"Buuuut... I really want to join. Stark's have always been in the army, why can't I? He let you"

_Because I'm not really a Stark _"You're his little girl who looks exactly like his dead sister. It'll bring back bad memories."

"It's not my fault I..." she stopped herself and then beamed at him in a way that made his insides feel cosy and like he had a real family "I am so happy for you."

"I've got gifts for you, going away presents of sorts" He leaned down and pulled out a small box he had hidden under her bed "Down in the south I don't want you to stop doing your martial arts because you are awesome at it and it will keep you safer in later life. Nevertheless every good soldier needs something extra to survive in this world."

Arya tore the packaging open and the two gifts fell out. The first was a Swiss Army Knife and the second was a small grey metallic box with a wolf engraved on the flat side with her name written above it. "This" he held the Swiss Army knife in his hand "is the most important weapon a person can own, the greatest fighter is nothing if they can't survive. It is light easy to use and it sharp so be careful, I don't want to hear about my baby sister shanking people. Some people name theirs, like it's a trusty friend."

Arya held it in her hands "It's sharp, quick and can probably prick a little prick like Joffery; I'll think of a name soon, if I call it the Joffery-killer Sansa might catch on." She picked up the small metal box with the wolf on "What is this?"

"This is a lighter" He flipped it open and then lit the flame "It is necessary for life, and if you want to take up smoking it is useful as well... I wanted to get you this because I want you to remember no matter what my name is, or however far I travel away from you, I will always be your brother. A true brother, till the day I die. When you light this flame, I want you to remember that" he reached in his pocket and pulled out his matching lighter only with his name on. "Don't change for anyone Arya, I would hate to lose my baby sister"

When she started to cry he knew it was real, they were leaving each and the same girl might not be coming back to him in a few years time. "It's not fair Jon" she whimpered wiping her eyes, pretending she wasn't crying.

"Nothing is fair little sister" he sighed finally hugging her like he wanted to, like she was his real sister. _Life isn't fair, but I can make the most of what I have _he kissed her on the top of her head and pretended that everything he had wasn't slipping away from him.


	3. Chapter 3 - Seldom Seen Kid

**Chapter 3 **

**My Notes – This chapter may bring up the question, ****_why have you done that to Jon's character? _****And it is the simple reason that his situation in the real world, him being the bastard son that is always being told you are not a Stark and his awkward relationship with Cat, it is going to affect his personality, I hope he is still likeable. Kinda the Sansa, but trust me on this, they even out as the story progresses.**

* * *

**Bran**

_Bran found himself sitting on red tiles looking out over the vast eastern lands. Casterly Rock was beautiful in his memory, an autumn dream with golden trees as golden as the Lannisters themselves. Across the grounds he caught a glimpse of the wasteland outside the greenery. Bird flew above him and he sat huddled hugging his perfectly working legs that kept him stable._

_He wasn't focusing on the beauty around him or the wonders of having working leg again. He was talking to a crow. At least he thought he was. He could feel himself talking but couldn't hear any of the words he was saying but the crow responded. "Maybe you should tell your parents, they'll know what to do." Then Bran spoke wordlessly as any sound drifted away like wind._

_The crow nodded "Of course, what you know is dangerous, these people aren't safe"_

_"How do you know" Bran said out loud for the world to hear but as he did landscape around him started to morph. The gold in front of him swirled till it separated and resembled strands of hair. The green grass joined together and reminded him of eyes, four perfect emerald eyes. The tiles paled beneath him and felt like skin beneath his fingertips. His legs went limp and useless again._

_He tumbled forward and off the roof top "Never fly" the Crow said "Human aren't meant to fly, they will always fall"_

That was when he woke up. He must have had the dream twice a month every month since he came out of his coma and every time it was the same, on the roof of Casterly Rock staring out into the distant talking to a crow. Every time it felt more real than the last, more like a distorted memory than a dream. This time though it was different. '_Of course, what you know is dangerous, these people aren't safe' _Bran pained himself to remember.

It was a gloomy evening and quieter than usual. Barely one hour past midnight, the house was always silent at this time but Bran could feel the absence of Arya and Sansa. His father and sisters had left earlier that evening with the Baratheon's to stay in a hotel before setting out for Washington on the President's private jet.

His therapist had told him about change bringing back harsh memories and if there were changes in these dreams after his father became Vice-President he had to tell someone before he forgot them. Bran pulled himself up and shifted off the bed in to his chair.

It was well known to Bran that along with completely losing the use of his legs he also forgot a month of his life. The month before the crash up to the moment he set foot on the plane was completely lost from his mind. He had read up on dreams unlocking subconscious thoughts and he truly believed this must be real, it must tell him something about his life or at least about the time before crash.

In his chair he shuffled to get comfortable before wheeling himself out of his room. For the first year after his accident he had to have help travelling around the house from Hordor (A huge servant who didn't speak a word of English apart from the word Hordor). Since the elevators had been installed he had become freer to move around his home and could do it by himself.

He thought about who he could tell about his dream. He couldn't tell Rickon, he was too young. His mom would be worrying about Sansa, Arya and dad, and Theon and Robb were at college. Jon on the other hand had a habit of staying up late at night and wasn't out because uncle Benjen was coming to take him away to Military school the next day.

Bran sat outside his brother door for a long time before he picked up the courage to knock. He never wanted to feel like a nuisance but all these assignments his therapist had set for him made me feel awkward. He had to talk to everyone all the time about everything and he knew if he had working legs they would tell him to go away.

There was a long pause behind Jon's door. "Tell them to go away, it is just one of your kid brothers wanting a bedtime story" Bran heard a girl squeak loudly.

_Oh Christ, I've interrupted something_ Bran felt heat rise in his face "shut the fuck up" Jon hissed back at her "Who is it" he called to Bran.

"Erm... oh... Yeah it's Bran." He croaked his voice fluctuating like boys voices did at his age.

The door slid open and Jon peered out wearing only jeans. "What's up bro?" he asked with honest concern.

"Oh it's nothing, sorry to interrupt you... both of you" Bran looked at the floor ready to wheel himself away.

Jon opened to the door wider "Come in, she's dressed and we weren't doing anything." He glanced behind him at a pretty girl with scraggy blond hair wearing one of his t-shirts.

Bran shook his head "It was just a dream it doesn't matter"

"Another crow dream?" Jon asked leaning on the door frame.

"Yeah, this one was slightly different though." Bran said, "Normally the crow advises me to tell my parents what I saw then tells me not to fly, however this time he told me these people are not safe and what I know is dangerous" Bran paused trying to remember till his head ached worse than it had in a long time.

Jon watched him, he face emotionless but thinking hard "I would definitely tell Catelyn if I was you, but don't worry yourself about it. As you said it was just a dream, make a note of it in your dream chart and get some sleep."

Bran sheepishly smile "Ok, you should also get some... Sleep, you have a long journey in the morning." He peeped behind Jon again at the frustrated looking blond. She looked familiar, although she was probably just another one of Jon's many girls that appeared for one night then disappeared again till a few months later. Normally Bran met them at the breakfast table looking nervous under Catelyn's glare.

"Can he hurry up, I won't wait all night." The girl whined glowering Bran.

Jon rolled his eyes dramatically and looked over his shoulder "Listen, he's my brother, I care more about him than I do about you, and please stop talking I didn't invite you here for conversation." Bran felt himself go red again. Jon gave a breathy snigger at his before messing up Bran copper hair.

"Excuse me, it was you begging me to come round, if you keep me waiting I will leave and I will never talk to you again." She threatened at a normal conversation volume, in the silence of the night it sounded as loud as a shout.

Jon smirked again then spun around the face the blond "Believe me, after tonight I will never be talking to you again, and you have already given me head, if you want to leave then go I insist." The girl stayed put on the bed staring Jon down.

"Just send the boy to bed" she whispered looking him up and down.

He turned back to Bran "Women, you never get used to them. No one tells you that, also some advice to you little brother, no matter how much make up they wear or how big they get, they are all just as stubborn as Arya"

Bran smiled to himself "I have so much to look forward to" Bran wheeled himself away from the door "Get some sleep Jon, I'll see you before you go."

Jon nodded goodbye and then silently shut the door leaving Bran outside in the darkness. He sat for a few moments wondering whether to go to the kitchen to get himself warm milk when something slammed on the other side of Jon's door.

"I hate you Jon Snow" the girl's voice said, then there was the soft sound of kissing.

Bran rolled his eyes placing his hands on his wheel "Women" he repeated in a voice mimicking Jon's.

* * *

**Jon**

_I hate you too you dumb bitch_ Jon wanted to say but was stopped by Bethany shoving her mouth onto his.

He needed someone that night and she was good enough. She could be at Winterfell within an hour, she gave good blow jobs and she was pretty enough to look at if she wasn't into taking it from behind.

_Christ you sound like Greyjoy_ his mind told him as his hands held on to Bethany's backside pulling her up into him. _It doesn't matter if I give a shit about her_ he told himself _she is going to fuck me anyway so what's the point respecting her?_

He pushed her off him with gentle force so she skipped back to the bed. She was hot there was no doubt about that but even with her half naked in his favourite shirt, it didn't spark anything within him apart from obvious arousal. She was just another girl, nothing special, blond hair, big tits, and bad judgement. '_Just another hole'_ Theon had once said to him, that's what they all are.

The next morning he was sitting at the end of his bed looking at the single case packed with his entire life. It was a pathetic sight.

Bethany was wriggling about under the covers just reminding Jon that he was running out of time to get her out of there before Catelyn woke up. He couldn't wake her though, she was there for him last night when he needed her and for that he was grateful, he would let her sleep but she had to pay for her own taxi home.

He showered and dressed before going back to his room to find the blond girl looking out the window only wearing his leather jacket. She turned around beaming at him. The jacket came low enough just for him to see that she wasn't wearing anything underneath "hello sexy" she flirtatiously giggled hugging the jacket tighter around her chest.

"You have to leave soon" Jon snorted trying not to look at her. He never really learnt how to have these conversations with girls. He would prefer it if they just left at four in the morning under the moonlight and their own shame. But no, most stuck around, either wanting him to pay for their taxi or a quickie before they left.

"Aren't you going to make me breakfast?" She asked her face going sour.

He continued not to look at her, scratching the back of his head "No, I have never made you breakfast and I'm not going to start now. Give me back my jacket you look ridiculous" He ordered a little too harshly but he needed her to leave now. He didn't want the disappointed stare from Catelyn, not today when he was about to snap.

Bethany's gawp turned it into a murderous glare. "Fuck you" she spat pulling his jacket off then throwing it at him revealing her stark naked body. "Get out then, I don't need you staring at me while I'm getting dressed" he glanced at her and felt that stirring he had felt last night. Reluctantly Jon picked up his luggage and left Bethany to get dressed.

It was a sleepy January morning. A thin layer of snow had fallen in the night and even within the warm walls of Winterfell there was an unsettling chill of loneliness. _This home will be a shell with so many people gone,_ he though already feeling Arya's absence, the whole building felt bigger and emptier than ever before.

He dropped his bag in the entrance hall and looked at the family portraits of the famous Starks across the walls. All were men with thick black hair in impressive army uniforms. Jon knew he would never stand among them in Stark history but at least he can show that he is more of a Stark than a lay about bastard son.

He heard the soft patter of footsteps for the stairway and turned to see Mrs Catelyn Stark walking toward him dressed in her night gown and rob. Her delicate pale hand placed lightly on the banister as she swept down the stairs with all the grace of a swan gliding across water.

"Good Morning Mrs Stark" Jon addressed her "I hope you slept well."

She smiled with no warmth "I can't say I did Jon _Snow_." She answered putting emphasis on the word Snow "I couldn't sleep because my two daughters have just left for Washington DC to grow into young women without me and my husband has got a new very stressful job that requires him to live a hundred miles away from me. Did you sleep well?"

"Not really" Jon starched his neck feeling her calculating gaze on him, "I am worried about joining United States Military Academy, it is very prestigious and I wouldn't like to let da... Ned down_" don't call him dad in front of her _he warned himself.

Catelyn glanced down then back up at him half smiling "It is a very good school, your uncle and Granddad went there before they joined the army. You have Stark blood, I am sure you will fit in well"

Is she being nice to me? He wondered trying to see through her stare, it was unreadable; one of the many skills of Catelyn Stark was to lie directly but look completely genuine. _They must have taught her that in law school_. "Thank you Mrs Stark, I am glad you think so"

Jon heard clacking footsteps coming down the stairs behind Catelyn and his heart dropped through the floor. Bethany was dressed in her sleek dress and sky-high heels that she came to him wearing last night. Her blond hair a mess and black eye makes up smudged across her face. She looked up at Catelyn and smiled confident "Oh hello, you must be Jon's mother" she said taking long strides forward to Catelyn.

Jon went white and Goosebumps travelled up his arms. Catelyn stiffened but turned around to smile bitterly at the blond girl "No, I am not Jon's mother. I am Mrs Stark, this is my home. May I ask who you are?"

Bethany took Catelyn's hand and Jon swore he saw Catelyn's skin crawl. "I am Bethany, a girlfriend of Jon's" she smiled sweetly not hearing the sharpness in Catelyn's voice.

"Jon doesn't have girlfriends." She responded promptly "He has one night stands I am guessing you're just another one of them girls he takes off the streets and brings into my family home."

Bethany was taken aback and her eyes grew wide "I am sorry?"

"Don't be, I don't blame you at all."Mrs Stark turned to Jon then back to the blond. "I hope you know where the exit is because I need to have a word with my husband's son urgently."

Bethany managed to force herself to pull her eyes away from Catelyn; she didn't even look back at Jon when she went at almost at a sprint toward the front door.

"I hope Rickon and Bran don't take after you" she spat spitefully watching the door close after Bethany. She looked back at Jon, her blue Tully eyes carving into him "Why is she in my house?"

_What do you want me to say?_ Jon's jaw tightened trying to stare down Catelyn _that I am lonely? I am scared? I needed one last good fuck before I left my whole life behind? I had her around because I doubt any girl at the Academy would be into a guy like me?_ "I don't know I just needed someone to talk to" Jon partly lied.

"I doubt you did much talking" she spat, all her anger clear on her face.

Catelyn glowered but looked away when she heard the elevator behind them open and Rickon and Bran exit from it. Rickon ran up to Jon, his eyes were red and nose running "Don't leave us Jon, you can't leave Winterfell" he shouted hugging Jon's waist. Bran wheeled up behind smiling sadly "Everyone is leaving" Rickon continued to cry hugging tighter.

"Ssh" Jon prised himself away from Rickon and kneeled down in front of him. He put his hands on his littlest brother's shoulders "I'm not leaving for long; I'm only going away to learn to be a soldier like dad was. Then I'll come back. I promise" He kissed his half-brother on the top of his burgundy head and looked up at Catelyn. She was distracted by Bran thankfully. "I need some fresh air, I'll talk to you soon" Jon promised Rickon.

When he was alone outside he finally felt like he could breathe again. He couldn't wait to be away from Catelyn. Jon was adamant that her hatred had always been unnecessary. Sometimes though, he could see that Catelyn didn't hate him at all, she only hated that he was a constant reminder of her husband's lies. Although, he had to admit, the last three years had been difficult.

He had dropped out of school to join the army back when he was sixteen, but it was directly after Bran's plane crash, he couldn't do that to the family. After that Jon lounged about without purpose as Robb and Theon went to college. Jon didn't have a job or qualification, the closest thing he got to a college was sneaking into a girl's room that went to 'University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey'. He had been a sponger and a nightmare, just another reason why he was a fuck up in Ned's eyes and a constant nuisance to Cat.

Jon remembered the last conversation he had with his father before he left Washington DC. It was in Ned's office. "I was considering what you said about joining that army" Ned stated looking at a picture of Jon's Aunt Lyanna on the mantelpiece

"I know dad you don't approve–" Jon started but was stopped when Ned raised his hand with his politician manner to silence him.

"Listen, Jon, I wanted to tell you that I don't approve of you leaving home to join the army with no qualifications of even a backup plan. You deserve more than just a school dropout life style. You deserve more than just being a low ranking soldier to be used as cannon fodder in future wars, because you are a Stark through and through and I don't want another one dying in combat. That's why I have contacted my brother Benjen and gotten you into the United States Military Academy. It will give you a head start into the army but it will also give you a good enough education so that you won't be stranded after you retire."

Jon remembered that he was speechless and didn't say anything back but Ned had given Jon his dead aunt's medals along with the American flag her belonging were wrapped in after she died. The flag was tied around the top of his luggage.

He pulled out a cigarette from the packet in his jean pocket and his lighter that was identical to the one he gave Arya.

Placing the cigarette between his lips he gazed up at the beautiful mansion he had grown up in. It looked like it was taken from a hillside in Netherlands. The walls of the mansion were grey with ivy growing up the walls, they would sprout flowers in the spring and summer, in January they gave the walls a minty gleam. It stood more like a castle than a house with steeples and towers soaring above him. Apart from the grand courtyard (car park) in the front, the grounds were covered in trees and greenery. It was all beautifully structured and easy to get lost in.

Scattered around the grounds stood wolf statues, the house keeper they nicknamed Old Nan said they were built to protect every Stark within Winterfell and all the ones fighting outside in faraway lands against unknown evils. Each wolf had been sculpted in a different way; Jon's favourite was a white marble night wolf with ruby eyes standing guard just outside the main garden.

The beautiful ancestral home was built two hundred years ago by General Brandon Stark the First. Brandon travelled with Red Indians for a time in his life and nicknamed him the Winter Wolf. He became incredibly wealthy because of successes in wars. Through this he managed to build Winterfell, surrounding it with the statues of the animals he had loved when living in the wilderness. The eldest Stark had inherited the home for the last two hundred years and it would have been Jon's if he was a Stark.

He pulled the cigarette from his mouth, if Catelyn caught him smoking it would be a whole new argument to deal with. Just then a car pulled into the courtyard. He turned to see Robb's green Audi parking up behind him.

He turned off the engine and got out of the car "If it isn't my favourite black haired brother." He hollered slamming the door behind him. He was wearing his Rutgers Scarlet Knight jersey showing Jon that he probably stayed the night at Jeyne after the game last night.

"Your only black haired brother" Jon corrected him genuinely smiling. Snow was falling around them both, some of it settling in Robb's auburn hair.

His brother leaned on the front of his car "Yeah that right isn't it, and soon maybe you'll be a Black Knight to match that black hair and then a soldier." Robb marvelled.

The Black Knights were the official name for any sports team in United States Military Academy but he hadn't really thought about joining a team. "I doubt I will become a Black Knight, although, I am going to be a soldier. Surprised you're not joining the army Stark, it is in your family history" Jon quipped watching his brother shudder.

"No thanks, everyone knows you inherited the Stark fighting spirit and I inherited the Stark brains. Anyway, I'm not willing to risk dying for my country because I'm selfish like that" Robb joked with honesty. Jon knew Robb never wanted to be in the army, he was set on being a politician and was now studying Political Science and Finance at Rutgers University. He excelled there and was a member of the Scarlet Knights Football Team even though in high school it was Jon who had the passion for American Football.

"I doubt you would die if you became a soldier. You're a Stark, I mean for fuck sake Bran survived a plane crash. You Stark's are hard to kill."

"Us Starks" Robb corrected him shuffling his feet in the January snow.

Jon sighed feeling quite uncomfortable all of a sudden. He looked around to make sure no one else was listening "you better not say that too loudly, you don't want Catelyn to hear you, she is already pissed off at me."

"What for? Do you want me to have a word with her because she was no right to bust your balls today of all days"

"No, it's completely deserved." Jon reassured not wanting Robb to make a big deal out of it. God forbid Cat thought Jon was trying to turn her eldest son against her "She was being alright with me this morning then she saw I had a girl round last night."

"Ooooooh, bro... Which girl was it, a new one?"

"No, Bethany."

"Which Bethany?"

"New York Bethany... The dancer... The one with the blond hair and nice ass."

"Oh that Bethany, she is high maintenance from what I remember. However, if I'm honest I never really get to know the many women in your life Jon" Robb teased grinning like he did.

A black Ford Explorer came into the courtyard and Jon's heart started to race. Benjen Stark was in the driver's seat. His hair cut in the army style but unlike all the other time Jon had seen him he wasn't wearing his uniform. "I'll go tell my mom Benjen is here." Robb pushed himself of the front of his car and went into the house.

Benjen got out of his army issued Ford and hugged Jon like a brother. "It's so good to see you again Jon." He boomed releasing him and inspecting him. "Sorry I couldn't be here when your dad was, I really wanted to see him before he went down to Washington but I couldn't get off work." Benjen was a lieutenant who occasionally went to the Academy to check out the standard of up and coming cadets. "You excited boy? You are going to be living the Stark dream" he asked cheerfully admiring Winterfell.

"Nervous more than anything" Jon answered truthfully finally feeling the cold "It's all I've ever wanted but it sucks that I have to leave everyone behind."

"Oh you better get used to that. If there is one thing I have learnt while being in the army it is to not get attached to anything. You will be transferred all the time, you will be sent to countries with strangers, and within a few months you will be sent home, or sent somewhere else. People you care about may leave, or desert you, or die."

He stared down at the sad look on Jon's face "I've got to say it takes balls to do what you're doing. You have to prove yourself to everyone. You have to prove yourself to your dad and probably Cat. You have to prove yourself to your fellow soldier and to all Starks, living or dead." He patted Jon on shoulder "I speak for all Starks when I say good Luck Jon Snow".

* * *

**Sansa**

Sansa Stark had been sitting in the lobby of the small inn hotel they had stayed in last night. It was a cute little building with wooden panels on the walls and many potted plants but it was dreadfully quiet. The whole building had been cleared out for the President and his entire entourage.

Her father and President Robert had gone ahead to the airport along with the majority of their company leaving Sansa with a few of Baratheon security team, Arya, Joffery, and his mother and younger brother alone to entertain themselves until the cars arrived to take them to the airport.

She didn't know how long it would take for the car to arrive to take the rest of them away so she decided to go for a walk around the small village outside the inn.

_It's so adorable_ she thought looking at all the wooden buildings that had been clad with American flags to celebrate the President's visit. It was a small farming town with a few shops selling groceries and wood carved furniture, it had even a little bakery with pies in the window. Nothing she had ever seen looked more American, even a Bald Eagle perched on top Statue of Liberty wearing a Lincoln hat and an America flag as the American army fired guns to the rhythm of Stars and Stripes, though, it would be a close second.

She moved away from the Inn pulling her heavy military styled coat around her shoulders tighter and thought about her move to Washington DC. Even after days of packing, planning and wishful thinking she still didn't know what to think about it.

On one hand New Jersey was her home, her close family were there, her mother, her brothers and her beautiful childhood home that always made her feel like a princess locked in a tower. Yet, that was a reason why she wanted to leave, she felt trapped. Winterfell was in the middle of nowhere and in her private school she didn't fit in. Yes she was rich and she was always told how beautiful she was but the people she should be friends with were superficial, they were the kind of girls she saw on the arms of Jon or Theon. Other people in the school wanted nothing to do with her because they thought she was something she was not.

Down south she could make herself something new, find new friends, and live more of the life she wanted to live with Joffery Baratheon by her side. Next to him, she could be what she always wanted to be. To be a Stark to make her family proud.

At the moment she was only known as the pretty Stark. She was always the pretty Stark, never the smart one, or the funny one, no, always the pretty one. Even worse people said it to her like it was a compliment, like she had nothing else to offer.

Sansa walked around the corner and bumped into a balding man wearing a fancy suit and she immediately knew he was one of Baratheon's men. "I am so sorry, I should have been looking were I was going" she apologized profusely.

The man said nothing back to her only watched her with cold eyes. She glanced down and caught site of his gun and suddenly felt her heart rate increase. Even her own father security team had never carried guns, even in the society they lived in and the position her family was in, her father forbid it. Seeing one now on the belt of a man glaring at her it sent a fear shooting through her. She backed away into a larger figure "There is no point apologizing to the likes of him girl" the figure rasped making her almost leap out of her skin.

She spun around and craned her neck to see Sandor Clegane looking down at her. His long hair hung across his face but his hideous scares were still visible to see. Sansa tried to focus on his eyes, _grey eyes like steel, like guns and smoke_."I did walk into him sir, I should apologies to him" she quaked only focusing on his eyes.

"Don't call me sir girl" he sneered through clenched teeth, "call me the Hound or don't address me at all"

"I am not going to call you the Hound, it is degrading" she answered as politely as possible "I would much rather call you by a title or your real name"

"My title is the Hound" he growled back. Sansa looked away at her hand and she heard him groan from above her.

"Dog, you better not be scaring my lady" Joffery called from across the road. He was glowing with a golden smile to match his hair. Sansa felt herself smile stupidly. He was so handsome. Princes in Disney movies couldn't compete with him, especially not in his fitted suit that added bulk in all the places he needed it. Joffery made his way straight to Sansa.

"Wow" he beamed studying her face "I have to say you look completely stunning today."

Heat rose in her neck and she looked down at the ground "thank you Joffery" she beamed shyly

"May we walk together?" Joffery suggest offering her his hand. She gratefully took it. His skin was warm in hers making her heart flutter within her chest.

Sandor grunted far above her "Do you wish for me to give you privacy?" he asked looking around at the road.

"Give us a two minutes head start and you can follow behind, I don't want you terrifying Sansa more than necessary" he joked pulling Sansa with him down the road.

When they were a far enough distance away Sansa admitted "I really wish you wouldn't call him Dog or Hound"

"Why not?" Joffery chuckled "He doesn't mind it and he has earned that name from a decade of honourable service to my family, he is pretty much a Lannister himself he has been around so long."

From the first moment Sansa met Joffery when she was eight was the first moment she met Sandor. Sansa remembered him being a huge pile of scariness and muscle. Since then to her he had gotten smaller but he was still huge and terrifying. "Nevertheless, I don't feel comfortable calling him by that... Name, it isn't respectful to him, it is like I am treating him like he is subhuman and..."

Joffery smiled turning her to look at him gently "Oh my sweet Sansa, you are so charming and caring. For you, I'll ask him to allow you to call him Sandor if you wish"

That wasn't exactly her wish but it was a start, maybe if he stopped being treated so vilely he would stop looking so angry her every time she saw him. "Thank you Joffery" she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek squeezing his hand tighter.

She was blissful now that they were finally alone. At Winterfell Robb had taken extra care to make sure they were never alone together. The worst was in the pool house when Sansa was sure Robb was going to hit Joff. Nothing happened but something certainly riled both Theon and Robb up. When they went to see her in her room they gave her that talk.

She wanted to ask for Theon to leave remembering the fool she had made of herself on her birthday but Robb didn't know about that. "You can't just skip in front of men in your underwear Sansa" Robb had said calmly.

"I wasn't in my underwear it was a one piece swimming costume." She argued knowing she had no real defence. Joffery had walked in on her swimming and she did ask him if he wanted to borrow some of Robb's swimming trunks. When Joff refused and said he just wanted to watch she did feel incredibly uncomfortable, part of her was even happy about Robb coming in. She didn't tell them that though.

"A skin tight costume that leaves nothing to the imagination, Sansa do you want to date this boy?" Theon had asked.

"Yes, well I really like him and he is smart and really nice to me." Sansa smiled only at Robb. Theon had no say in who she dated, Robb did though, she needed him to approve.

"If he makes you happy then I won't stop you. But if he hurts you or pushes you into something you are not ready for, please be brave enough to step away and rethink all of this."

She remembered that, Robb was always telling her to be brave. When it came to talking to journalists during the campaign it was Robb sitting by her side rubbing her back and occasionally taking the tricky questions she couldn't answer.

Snow was falling coating everything in a pure white cloak that made everything look fragile around her. Joffery talked about himself a lot, Sansa sometimes asked questions to show she was listening.

They made another turn and heard shouts from down an alleyway a short distance in front of them "Arya?" Sansa said recognising one of the voices. She let go of Joffery's hand and followed the playful shouts.

She found Arya looking like a little boy wearing her favourite grey hoodie straddling a Mexican boy who must have been two years older than her. The boy leaned up swiping Arya's arms from underneath her and putting her in an arm lock pushing her face into the gravel "That's not fair, you are bigger than me" She giggled struggling under the boy's weight.

Joffery launched forward pulling the boy off Arya's back "What do you think you are doing?" he bellowed in an out-of-the-ordinary masculine voice.

The boy tried to run from Joffery's gripped but failed, he let out a high squeal kicking his legs out. He was small for a boy for his age and a lot skinnier as well. "I'm am sorry sir, she dared me to fight with her, we had a bet, I am so sorry" he stuttered still trying to wriggle from Joffery's secure grasp.

"Let go of him!" Arya boomed getting up from the floor "go away the both of you. It has nothing to do with you!"

"You see my beautiful friend here" Joffery gestured toward Sansa. She start to feel nervous, whether it was because of the murderous look in Arya's eyes or the acidic tone of Joffery's voice she didn't know. "The little girl you were attacking is her little sister. If you want to fight someone, fight someone your own size."

Joffery threw him to the floor then started to take his blazer off "Stand up boy if you think you can fight like a man"

"Please, don't do this" Sansa looked behind her to see if Sandor was nearby, she saw no one. The lazy streets had completely cleared.

Arya was rummaging in her pocket "Leave Mycah alone!"

The small boy got to his feet but as soon as he did Joffery slammed his fist into to boy's jaw. His other hand came around whacking him in the stomach knocking him to the floor.

Sansa screamed as Arya threw a small rock hitting Joffery on the side of the head. "Arya, Joffery, stop please" she cried looking down the road for anyone to help stop the fight. Arya please don't ruin this, not just for me, for dad as well, please.

Joff turned away from Mycah "You little bitch" he yelled rubbing the side of his head "I should have to you shot for attacking me like that you..." he took a few steps towards Arya then Sansa just saw her little sister spin around lifting her leg in the air and kicking Joffery in the side of his head with the heel of her boot.

"Sandor please help!" Sansa commanded to the empty road, Joffery fell sideways clutching the side of his head, crying with pain.

Sansa stared at Arya, she was gawping at Joff rolling around on the floor "What have you done?" Sansa trembled running to Joffery's side. "Are you ok?" she asked lightly. She looked up are Arya. Fast footsteps were coming down the street at the end of the alley, _Run _Sansa almost said to her but Arya didn't need to be told. She helped Mycah to his feet and they both ran.

Joffery was whimpering on the floor, she stroked his soft hair, running her fingers lightly over his scalp towards where Arya had kicked him "Don't touch me!" he knocked her away almost catching her in the face with his ringed hand. She was about to lean forward again but a large arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her aside so Sandor could get to his master.

More security guards ran past her in the direction Arya and Mycah ran. _Run home Arya_ Sansa thought watching Sandor pick up Joffery like he was a helpless princess but what he was shrieking about her sister was so vile she wanted to cover her ears _God help you if they find you because I doubt any Stark can._


	4. Chapter 4 - Always Gold

**Chapter 4 - Always Gold**

**Thank you to anyone that reads this, it is really appreciated, warning, I maybe taking a long break with this story because I am only on the 6th chapter and I have a huge writers block, while on another fic I am preparing it is going quite well. So I will post the next few and then it may suddenly stop, I do apoligise, but if I get a lot of love I may get the inspiration, so you never know. **

* * *

**Robb**

"I have no idea what the hell I am doing" Robb moaned staring down at what he called an essay. The first two paragraphs had been scribbled out and the third he wasn't even sure was English.

Theon was lounging on a beanbag in the corner of Robb's room taping away on his laptop. "It's politics, nobody has a clue what they are doing" Robb caught Greyjoy's eyes sympathetically glancing over his computer at him.

Theon was in his final year at Rutgers and had always helped Robb with his essays and assignments even though he knew even less about politics than Rickon. "What's your question?"

"Using your own opinion, compare the Political System of the American government to the Political Philosophy of Karl Marx. Four Thousand Words" Robb quoted from the sheet in front of him. He would give anything, anything at all, just to light it on fire and never see it again.

"Pfft" Theon smirked like he did at everything "Bro, it is in your own opinion, just make any old shit up." He went back to staring gormlessly at the laptop screen.

Robb knew Theon shouldn't call him bro. Catelyn and Ned had both said it before. Nevertheless Theon was like an older brother to him, giving him advice about everything from college to video games to girls. "I can't just write about 'any old shit'... Who are you talking to?" Robb asked. It wasn't really talking, merely the communication of text through a computer that is interpreted by the reader. Robb had had a lot of hassle with conversations over the internet and had never really trusted it ever since.

Theon didn't have time to answer when Robb's phone started to ring. It was a message from Jon. You have been gone just a few hours, you can't already miss me Robb thought staring down at his phone. A pang of sadness made him release, in truth he was already missing him.

The message said 'just got a call for Arya. She roundhouse kicked Joffery in the face!' Robb burst out laughing hardly able to control himself_, I can't have read that right._

When he told Theon, he had the same reaction "Fucking hell Robb, you serious?" he guffawed snatching the phone from him. "Oh Jesus, we have to call her, I tell you, your sister has some serious balls."

They took a moment to calm down before ringing Arya. They got no answer surprisingly. They decided to try Sansa who did answer.

"Hi Robb, why are you calling?" Her usual polite voice was now a rash squeal.

Theon took the phone away from Robb and put it on speaker phone "hey sexy Sansa, we were wondering if we can talk to your sister." Robb glared at Theon for addressing his sister like that.

"No you can't" Her voice was tense "She isn't with me, she is in my dad's car"

"Why aren't you with them? Who are you with?"

"I'm with Joffery" she squeaked, Robb could feel the blushing down the phone.

"And how is the little senator? Is he still an almighty prick after taking a kick to the head?"

"Theon please, Yes, he is fine, nothing but a scratch."

A distant voice from the down the phone grumbled "I tell you know, that little bitch is going to have more than a scratch when we are done with her, isn't she Hound?"

Robb took the phone from Theon's hand "Tell him that if he lays a finger on Arya he'll have me and Jon to deal with."

"Robb, I... I think he is just angry, it took us all by surprise. Didn't it Joff?" She asked politely, her voice was shaking. "I think I have to go, we are almost at our stop, I'll call you later, is that ok?"

Robb knew he would be out tonight at Jeyne's but he could tell by her strained voice that she wanted to say more "Yeah, call me tonight, anytime you need to talk I should be available" _I'm sure Jeyne won't mind, she's also got sisters _ "Talk to me soon Sansa"

"Ok Robb, love you"

"Love you too, bye"

She hung up before he finished talking, this isn't good Robb snapped back to reality "He's the President son" Robb sighed "Fuck, Arya is screwed"

Theon smirked again, this time it frustrated Robb "She is the Vice-President's daughter, they can't touch her."

A heavy knock banged on the door. Robb leapt out of his skin, he didn't like sudden bangs, another reason on the long list why he would have hated it in the army.

"Robert Stark and Theon Greyjoy!" Rodrick Cassel kept slamming his fist on the door "Mrs Catelyn wants to speak to you in the garden."

Theon rolled his eyes "Jesus, it is like ten degrees out there"

Rodrick opened the door without permission and glared at Theon "Be glad then that the Starks are so generous to give you a home. Otherwise you'd be living on the streets in weather like this." Rodrick was head of the Winterfell Security. Robb knew that he wouldn't dare talk to any of the real Stark children like that, not even Jon. Nevertheless, he always took time out of his day to take Greyjoy down a few pegs.

"Get your asses moving, she is waiting out there."

The garden was glorious in the winter. White skeletons of trees reached the sky reminding Robb of a graveyard rather than a garden. Even the huge Cherry Blossom that stood as a centre piece next to a huge fountain was bare apart from the corpses of red petals scattered around it. Like the rest of the grounds of Winterfell, behind every corner there was a different wolf statue. Robb's mother was leaning on one of the largest. It was a part of the great fountain, a dark grey wolf with golden shards for eyes. The water had frozen and formed icicles from the wolf's stone fur.

His mother was admiring the garden standing next to Doctor Luwin. He was Catelyn's personal friend and was in charge of the Winterfell staff as well as private political training for Bran and Robb. He was also a private doctor for the Stark's.

Catelyn caught sight of Robb and smiled. Her blue eyes that matched his sparkled like they might shed tears "Hello Robb, I was just telling Luwin about when I was pregnant I came out here and prayed for your father to come home. It is said that General Bran Stark the First prayed to these wolves when all his sons went off to battle, and all of them survived." She smiled meekly. It dropped to a frown and glanced around.

"Is everything ok mom?" Robb asked looking at his mother's ungloved hands holding an envelope.

"Yes of course Robb but..." she looked over at Luwin "What we are about to talk about mustn't leave us." She sideways glanced at Greyjoy "Nobody, only us must know"

"Of course Mrs Stark" Rodrick chirped up.

"I got a hand delivered letter a few days ago from my sister Lysa. She has been hiding at her husband's home in Washington State. There is no easy way to sugar coat this so. As we all know the last Vice-President Jon Arryn died not too long before Ned started his campaign, it was apparently from flu. This letter says that he was poisoned by a Lannister."

She passed the envelope to Rodrick. "What, but why?" Theon tittered snatching the letter from Rodrick's hands.

"I don't know, but as we all know I already have suspicions about these Lannisters." Her jaw went tight "Bran's crash was not an accident. I have looked over those crash records a hundred times or more. The crash was set up by a faulty wire and recent evidence has shown that the pilot intentionally plummeted into the ground. The pilot's body was never found and the wreckage showed signs of an ejector seat being used before the crash took place.

"What I am saying, what happened there was intentionally set up by the Lannisters, whether it was just Tywin or Jaime and Cersei, it is unknown. Let's not forget, Cersei's own son was on that plane. Who knows what level these Lannister are willing to go to destroy an enemy or maybe even to keep a secret" She sideways glanced Luwin sending a private message between the two of them.

Catelyn had always wanted Robb to follow her route and go into Law but he never had the passion for it. Even with her being a Harvard Graduate the inspiration was never truly there, law wasn't his calling no more than the army. Catelyn clearly also never had much of a passion for it either. After just two years working for her father's company she quit and became a stay at home mother. She devoted her time to becoming the Stark's personal spin-doctor and law advisor. Her connection had gotten the Starks out of many scandals.

"If we have all this evidence then why don't we do something?" Robb asked his mother "We have good lawyers that will hold our case in a courtroom and Bran is a prime witness in the crash and he said the pilot did escape before the crash happened. If we find the pilot then I am sure we have a case strong enough."

Catelyn shook her head and looked kindly at her son "I am afraid that would never work –"

"Why not? You already gave us a thesis on all the evidence we have" Theon shot in quickly.

Catelyn grinded her teeth and eyes dug into Greyjoy "We don't have the evidence though" she barked back bearing her teeth "No one will listen to Bran's testimony. His memory-loss will make him an unreliable witness. The remains of the plane have been sent to scarp and we don't have pilot to stand up for our case. Furthermore, the Lannisters would buy the judge, the jury and probably the state the trail is held in." Her tone calmed "We are nothing without evidence; this family is too rich and too powerful. Tywin has his thumb over Robert completely and Cersei is making Joffery turn into a cross between Jaime and Tywin. They are dangerous and my husband had been pushed into the lion's cage along with my daughters... But"

She took a long pause. In that time she ran her elegant fingers over the gold-eyed wolf's head "If we can get the evidence, if we can get media and the backing from other leading business like the Tullys or the Tyrells and Martels then we have a case. No matter how powerful they think they are. If the general public don't back them then they are nothing." She took a deep breath bracing herself for what she had to say next.

"I have gotten a tip off from someone in Washington DC who may have evidence to help our case. It does mean me travelling down there and staying a few days to talk to my contact. Rodrick and I are both going down in Rodrick's car, it isn't a register vehicle on the Lannister radar so they won't know it is me. It may seem unnecessary but we don't want the Lannisters sniffing after us." Her eyes met Robb's. "Gentlemen may I speak with my son alone? If any of you have questions I'll talk to you in my husband's office later."

Theon glanced at Robb reluctant to leave but Rodrick grabbed him by the back of the collar dragging him back towards the mansion. When they were alone his mother looked Robb up and down "You've grown very tall Robb, you look just like my brother when he was your age" She complimented smiling proudly.

He stepped forward smiling uneasily "Mom, you can't go, not now just after Dad, Jon and the girls have left. What about Rickon, he is only nine, and Bran. The therapist said it isn't good for his state to be exposed to so much change" and me? He almost asked but he didn't want to look like a child crying out for his mom. _I'm nineteen for Christ sake I don't need my mom around all the time_.

"I will be gone for less than a week, I promise. Till then I need you to look after Winterfell. You are in charge of finances, income and pay for all the staff. Luwin will help of course." She reached up and touched her son's cheek and then his auburn hair "I know you have college and your... friends need your attention. Nevertheless you need to learn how to rule the Stark Empire. It may just look like a house but soon it and all that comes with it will be yours. You will inherit Winterfell, all the money and all the responsibility to our important colleagues, sponsors, and of course our reputation."

Robb tried to smile at his mother. A nervous shiver went up his spine. He looked to his home, tall towers touching the sky. The wolves glaring down at him. All of it greys. Grey like his father's eyes, like Jon's eyes. Like guns and battles, not like him at all, but it will all be his. "I know mom" he finally said smiling meekly "and I won't let anyone down... Just don't be gone too long, promise?"

* * *

**Arya**

They had only arrived in Washington DC a few minutes earlier but Arya already wanted to go home. As soon as she was off the plane she went to the airport toilets and called her brother. Jon would always answer his phone to her and pretend to pay attention during her rants.

She was pissed off more than she could say. Even after talking to Jon. Especially when he couldn't control his laughter after she told him she did a reverse turning kick into Joffery's head. He laughed for a ten minutes and wouldn't stop, no matter how many times Arya swore or threatened him.

"You roundhouse kicked Joffery fucking Baratheon in the face!" He finally said after he calmed down but he was still sniggering to himself.

"It was a reverse turning." She corrected him leaning against the cubical door.

"That is fucking epic Arya Stark" he admitted "You should win medals, why did you do that?"

"He attacked Mycah and then was going for me, it was completely self defence."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone "Who's Mycah?"

"Just some boy who worked at the hotel we were staying at, we were wrestling when Sansa and Joffery found us."

"Arya, I don't think you should be wrestling boys at your age, it might lead into dangerous areas." He hinted over the phone, his voice strained and it took Arya a few seconds to understand what he was talking about.

"Oh god Jon" she was glad he wasn't around because she was starting to blush fiercely "It was nothing like that, honest. Anyway, he got arrested when we were caught, President Robert agreed to drop the charges but he was beaten to a pulp before they let him go" she wasn't allowed to speak to Mycah after they were caught hiding in a dumpster a few alleys away but she did see him with a short Dominican woman that must have been his mother before she got on the plane. His cheek bones looked sunken showing they had be fractured and his nose was mangled, he face was off colour and his skin was blood stained.

"What about you, did anyone hurt you?"

"Of course not Jon, Dad made sure of it. But I got in so much trouble. I was on a plane with Dad, Jory, Sansa, President Robert, Joffery, his bitch of a mother and dick of an uncle, plus all the Baratheon security team. All I had on my side was Dad and Jory. If they weren't there I think the Baratheons would have sent me to the electric chair, which was Cersei would have wanted anyway, that along with dad stepping down as Vice-President."

"What about Sansa? She found you with this Mycah boy."

Arya jaw tightened and the urge to throw her phone at the wall was growing too strong, but she stopped herself. Her anger shouldn't be taken out on her phone. "That fucking bitch. I fucking hate her Jon!" she screamed down the phone louder than she expected herself to. "She is a stupid liar and she betrayed me for that dick"

"Whoa, calm down Arya, what happened?"

She took a deep breath to try to calm herself but the wound was still fresh "on the plane while I was being interrogated, Joffery said me and Mycah unjustly attacked him, which wasn't true and Sansa knew it. But instead she pretended she didn't remember." Arya moaned "I don't want to be around her, I want to go home now"

"Arya please just... stick it out, for dad." Jon sighed "Listen, I have to go sorry I have to finish unpacking. I'll speak to you later"

"Yeah, sure, ok bye" she hung up before he could say goodbye, she felt immediately bad after doing it. She wasn't angry at Jon, she could never be angry at Jon. She was angry at Joffery for being a dick, she was angry at the Hound for beating up Mycah, she was angry at Cersei for threatening her father when it had nothing to do with him, she was angry at Sansa for choosing Joffery over her family. Although, Most of all, she was angry at herself.

She shouldn't have done it, she had done martial arts for years, learnt moves that could kill a man twice her size but the whole point was to control it and use it at the right time. Joffery may have attacked her but that move wasn't a defensive one. She could get her martial arts licence taken off her for doing that, loose her titles and trophies. Worst of all she put her dad in danger, he had wanted this job for years, spent millions of dollars on the campaign and she had almost ruined it all with a single mistake.

She found the strength to leave the toilet. They had been travelling for what felt like eternity and wanted to go to bed. Not just a bed, her own bed.

The airport had been cleared of people but camera crews and paparazzi were lining the walls snapping the President arrival with the new Vice-President. Jory was waiting for her outside the toilet with other Stark security.

"Hello, little missy, wondering what was taken you so long" Jory smiled at her. He couldn't have been much older than twenty-five but he had been working for the Starks since he dropped out of school ten years ago. He was a good man, not the smartest, or the best looking but Arya never was drawn to people like that. "Your dad wants everyone to travel together till we get to the cars. It is safer because these camera people are wild today, never seen anything like it little Miss."

Her family was waiting by the main terminal and so were the Baratheon's which pissed off Arya. They were all donning sunglasses indoor like they were rap stars. Joffery was also wearing a hat to hide his growing bruise.

"Jory stay close to Arya and Sansa, I don't want them getting lost." Ned commanded. The Baratheon's started to make their way through the airport surrounded by a small army of body guards. The Stark's had a few but not nearly enough.

As soon as she turned to corner Arya was taken aback by flashing light shining in her face and voice shouting her father's name. Jory held onto Arya's shoulder and Sansa's hand. She looked up at her sister, she was smiling politely at the cameras when people called her name. _She always had the patient for this kind of shit,_ Arya thought; she couldn't say the same for herself.

"Arya!" someone called shoving a camera in her face. The flash left purple dots swirling around her eyes. "Arya, how does it feel to be compared to the Late Lyanna Stark?" Another voice asked close by. She moved closer to Jory almost hugging his chest.

Outside, Sansa was pulled aside by Joffery into his car with his dog. Arya followed her dad into a large black Land Rover and Jory came in after her shutting the door behind him, "Holy crap, that was tough" Jory sighed wiping his brow with his suit sleeve.

Ned said nothing, only placed his hand on Arya shoulder and gazed out of the window at Washington DC. It was... structured. All the building looked clean and grand. She hated it. It just looks so fake. Designed like a show house, it was impersonal and everything looked like it had propaganda engender. New Jersey wasn't always pretty but it had heart at least in every single family owned Italian restaurant and Jazz bars.

Sansa's car was slightly in front of Arya's but she didn't really care about Sansa anymore. She was stupid and clearly didn't care about her enough to protect her from the wrath of the Baratheons. Even when her car drove in completely opposite direction to Arya's she just shrugged it off and changed the song on her iPod. She checked her phone then and saw a missed call from Robb. She couldn't have that conversation now with her angry dad right next to her.

Ned got a call from Sansa saying that she was going with Joffery to see the White House before going to their new home. Ned reluctantly agreed, when he hung up he groaned "I don't understand that girl" he confided in Jory like Arya wasn't there.

"She is a sixteen year old girl, they aren't easy to understand" Jory smirked winking at Arya.

Ned chuckled shallowly looking at the floor "I know what sixteen year old girls are like, I had a sister, and I knew Cat when she was sixteen but Sansa she is... She isn't that easy. She is only interested in technology, fashion, singing, and now boys. I don't know when she stopped being my little girl."

Arya pretended she was listening to her iPod, but no music was playing. Arya had never been his little girl, and in some way she was jealous of Sansa for that. She didn't have to pretty looks or the delicate manner Sansa had. Nobody wanted to protect her, Robb never threatened boys to stay away from her, and Theon had never insulted a girl for her, not even Jon had ever really protected her. Not like he protected Sansa.

Part of Arya liked that, she felt independent, strong, she didn't need protecting because she wasn't stupid like Sansa. Another part, a deep hidden part of her that she had buried down, hated it because it made her feel vulnerable. She didn't want to be protected she had learnt how to do that over the years. She just... she didn't know. Maybe it was the attention Sansa had, or maybe it was something else.

The Land Rover travelled into a wooded area surrounding the main city. All the houses in view were impressive in their own way, they didn't have the beauty of Winterfell but they all had their own merits. Bran had told her that some locals nicknamed this area King's landing because so many politicians lived there.

Eventually, Arya's car turned up into a driveway up towards an old-fashioned house. It was large and was just as isolated with a surrounding garden encircled by trees. In Winterfell the trees were a secret maze she would run into to get away from the world, but these trees were surrounded by a huge walls, it all just made her feel more trapped.

The car stopped and a servant came and opened the door for them. The house had been owned by Jon Arryn, the last Vice-President and Arya's Aunt Lysa. Since his death it had been empty, nevertheless the house looked well kept. It should have been, the number of servants coming out of the house to greet her father was staggering, far more than the number at Winterfell.

The inside of the Mansion matched the outside. Wooden floors and high ceilings, it looked charming but aloof, the carpets were hideous and the art work was plain but there was nothing Arya could do about any of that. They were merely guests here until the end of her father's term. This wasn't her home to make her own.

More servants greeted them inside. A pretty maid stepped up with her and knelt down in front of her making her release just how short she was for her age "Would you like me to show you to your room, my dear lady" she asked smiling a sickly sweet smile.

_You can go suck a dick you patronising bitch_ wanted to spit at her but her father's eyes were on her "Yes, that would be nice" Arya said through gritted teeth that she masked at a smile.

The pretty maid took Arya's hand without permission and led her up stairs to the top floor "All your stuff has already arrived Miss Stark. I hope you like it, some of your things have already been unpacked like your clothes, soon enough your room will be your personal haven. You'll be with us for a few years, no reason why this place can't be your home." The stopped outside of a door on the top floor, Arya's name had been stuck on the door. The maid bowed her head and left Arya standing in front of her new bedroom.

_I really don't know what else I expected_ Arya thought looking at the gleaming pink flowered wall shining back at her. It was girly and suffocating, the bed had lacy curtains and there was a stunning make up desk that Arya had no plans to use. The maid wasn't lying when she said people had put her stuff away. It was all neatly folded in the fancy wardrobe. Arya pulled out her favourite hoodie, threw it on then went to her laptop that was sitting on her bed. _This place better have wifi_.

It did, luckily. She opened up her web browser and her mouth dropped when she saw her face painted on the homepage. The headline said "Second Coming of Lyanna Stark?" the picture was her dazzled face from the airport next to a photo of her Aunt Lyanna.

They had the same eyes, nose and hair colour but the rest was different. Lyanna had perfect pale skin and sharp cheek bones were as Arya's face still had baby fat and spots appearing everywhere. She had enough of this today, She slammed her laptop shut and grabbed a frilly pillow from her bed "I AM NOT LYANNA STARK" she screamed till her throat hurt.

She wanted to scream to at every single person who ever said it to her. She never knew what her Aunt was really like because her dad never talked about her, but everyone said Arya was just like her. People said Lyanna was beautiful and kind and surprisingly gentle for a woman in the army.

Howland Reed disagreed though, he was one of the few people that actually knew Lyanna Stark and actually told Arya about her. Lyanna was brave, she was rough and sometimes violent but she knew when to be a lady and that wasn't on the battlefield. Lyanna was beautiful yes, but not in the morning when she woke up or when she had a gun in her hand shooting at the enemy. She was so much more than just a beauty. Arya preferred to be compared to this Lyanna, but very few people were comparing her to this one. In truth though she would rather not live in her Aunt's shadow at all.

She looked in the mirror tugging at her long thick hair that hung lazily around her face. _I am not her, I am Arya Stark, I am not a lady, I am not a princess. I am a soldier like Jon says._ She got a crazy idea, she went to one of her suitcases and pulled out the pen knife Jon had given her before going back to the pretty make up desk and looked at herself in the mirror.

"I am not Lyanna Stark, I am my own person" She said to herself flicking the sharpest knife from the selection. "I am Arya Stark" she hissed grabbing a chunk of her hair in one hand and started slicing at her hair.

* * *

**Catelyn**

"I don't want you to leave mom" Rickon gazed up at her with his huge blue eyes, his tiny hand gripping onto her wrist. "Arya, Jon, Dad and Sansa have left, you can't too"

Catelyn knelt down by her youngest son's bed. "My dear, I will only be away a few days. You won't even notice I am gone. Robb and Bran will be here, and your Nanny will be here too." She kissed him on his burgundy curls and pulled his duvet up around his neck "I'll be home soon Rickon, and one day soon, we will all be under this roof again, Me, your sisters, Dad, we'll be back with you soon."

"And Jon?"

She hesitated herself from tightening her jaw "And even Jon. He'll be in his army uniform looking just like your dad did all those years ago" she sighed smiling stroking Rickon's head "Get some sleep, You'll see me off if you get up bright and early, but I don't want you being grumpy for school."

"Goodnight mom" he yawned quietly, "Good luck on your trip to see Aunt Lysa, tell Robin I said hi"

"I will, goodnight" she kissed him on the head again and left his room turning off his light behind her. She took a few second to breathe after turning to her own room. Catelyn had never spent more than a night away from all her children at the same time and she had to admit that it was terrifying.

Nineteen years ago she had given up working for her father to become a stay-at-home mother. At social event she went to with her husband she had been asked by many sour faced women why she would leave a well paid job as a leading lawyer in Tully industries to become a _mother_. They always said that word like it was poison on their tongue.

Cat would just smile politely and say "I can't quite remember to exact reason why I wanted to leave, all I remember is sitting at my desk getting ready to go home when I first felt my Robb kick. I stood there and just felt my little boy moving and kicking like he was trying to fight Bruce Lee, I knew he would be a fighter. Just like his dad. And I didn't want to miss him growing up into a man like my mother did with me"

Catelyn's mother, Minisa, had died when she was young. She couldn't remember her face without a photo in front of her, and she didn't even remember missing her. Her mother was only home when she was pregnant, when she wasn't, she helped her dad run the family business. Seeing her became even rarer when Cat was six and Minisa also inherited the Whent Company. It was a small publishing firm but this along with the huge Tully Empire her mother had no time for family. Catelyn didn't want her children to remember her like that.

She gave up her rights to the majority of the Tully fortune and joint ownership of the business. The Tully's were the leaders in everything from Luxury ocean travel, seascape real estate down the California coast, and high-end seafood restaurants. It was a huge task to hold control of the entire corporation, and by her father's command the CEO can only ever be a Tully with no co-owners. Lysa had no intention of taken any part of the business and Edmund had been trained to be a CEO since the moment he came out of her mother, so she stepped down and focused her attention on the Starks.

It had been years since she had seen her family in California or her sister who had been hiding in her husband's mansion in Washington State. She planned to visit her dad a few years ago. They intended to get a plane from the Lannister's estate after Bran's tenth birthday. But of course that was cancelled after the plane crash.

She shuddered, recalling Bran lying in the hospital bed, tubes and wires piercing into his skin. He had been transported back to New Jersey after hours of Ned complaining and making phone calls, he was with his family like it should have been; close enough so everyday Catelyn could sit by his bed till the day he woke up. The Lannister's offered to pay for the hospital bills including transport from Kansas to New Jersey. Ned didn't accept their charity because he knew, just like Catelyn knew.

_And in a few days I will know the definitive truth _she thought with a relieved smile. Catelyn didn't know who her tip off was, but after she received a letter from Lysa another came. This one was in a mail though, far more risky way to travel. The Lannisters connection to Robert gave Cersei access to the FBI, in which she had many friends. This was the reason why Ned never got a Cell Phone that used GPS, and they never discussed secret matters over the phone. Even when Cat was going to travel down to Washington the next day, she hadn't told Bran or Rickon where she was going and was travelling in Rodrick's beat up Ford. When they were there, they were going to stay in a small hotel outside the main city under false names. She couldn't be too careful, it wasn't just her own life in danger but now her husband's. _He is in the lion's den surrounded by enemies_.

Catelyn stopped in the middle of the landing and looked up at a family portrait that had been photographed shortly after Ned had become Senator. Catelyn was still pregnant with Rickon then. Bran was smiling widely standing up straight like a toy soldier.

Sansa and Arya were standing next to each other, even ten years ago they were as different as still water and a volcano. Sansa was still water, smiling prettily, at the dainty age of six, she was a striking child with piercing blue eyes, high cheek bones under baby fat and her auburn hair platted neatly down her back. Arya on the other hand, was the one person in all the pictures that wouldn't stand still or do what she was told. Her dark hair was covering her eyes and she was shouting up at Jon who had just messed up her hair. Robb was back to back with Jon looking partly like twins but also like opposites. Both were nine, cocky and beaming wickedly trying not to be distracted by Arya.

Ned had his arm around Cat, he looked younger as well then, his hair hadn't started greying, his smile wasn't as sunken but his eyes were the same. They were cold, grey and haunted. They weren't the eyes that left Cat when he went off to war but they came back to her. Eyes that kept secrets from her like the name of her stepson's mother. Eyes that had seen horrors so traumatic they kept Ned awake years in to their marriage. She missed him every second he wasn't around, it reminded her of when she waited for him to come back from war. He has gone off to war again she thought different location, different enemy, different game but a war none the less.

How young they were then. It was hard to see the resemblance of them all now. Bran couldn't walk but he had so much power in everything he did, he was growing up to be a smart young man. Arya was still a fighter and that terrified Cat, more than once Arya had said she wanted to join the army when she turned sixteen. She'll still be in Washington with Ned when it happen and Cat will have no control over what happens.

Sansa on the other hand was easier. She was heading to be a socialite or whatever she wanted to be, even though she never seemed to have a great passion for anything, the only thing Cat have ever seen her passionate about was marrying a rich boy and becoming a mother, which did worry her. She herself had chosen to be a mother but she had other options, Sansa, she didn't know, she was good at school and tried hard but she lacked motivation to do anything. Or so Catelyn had seen.

Robb had grown up to be a man now. It brought tears to her eyes sometimes when she thought about her eldest son's achievements, how dedicated he is to becoming a Politician like Ned. Even without the Stark looks he showed himself to have mostly Stark blood and some Tully brains for good measure. That night Robb was staying at his girlfriend's house, he hadn't told Cat about her yet but she had had him followed and the girl named Jeyne background checked. It was a completely rational parenting exercise. At least that was what she told Ned when he found her records on the Westerling family. The Westerlings had owned a few unsuccessful goldmines a hundred years ago and now buy and sell high-class seafood specialising in oysters and clams, they were a respectable family, but not in the same league as the Starks or Tullys when it came to money. Although, Jeyne was pretty and she was studying Psychology at the same university as Robb so she could see her sons attraction to her.

Then there was Jon. Jon always wanted to impress Ned by becoming a Soldier and Catelyn was happy enough to see him go, even though, she did hate herself for being delighted about him leaving. Jon had been a good boy when he was younger, always courteous and polite to everyone he met, then he changed his last name to Snow and all the things that made Cat tolerant of her husband's son went. He became a dropout lay-about who sponged off the Starks but wanted nothing to do with them. Catelyn had to watch this ungrateful boy grow up to look more and more like Ned and she hated that. If joining the army made something of Jon and got him away from her then she was more than fine with it.

All of a sudden Catelyn turned quickly to the sound of shattering glass. It was muffled in the darkness but she could tell it was coming from Bran's room just down the hall from where she was standing. _He must have knocked over a glass of water from her bedside table _she thought uncertainly. As innocent as her mind made it sound she still found herself running to Bran's room.

She flung the door open and saw her son sleeping peacefully in the darkness. Her heart steadied for a moment but jumped when a shadow out of the corner of her eye moved. Catelyn spotted glass from Bran's window glittering on the floor. Suddenly the glint of a blade came swinging down at her from the shadows. She leapt back, then squared herself on the intruder, he was a slight man with a plain face but the blade in his hand looked anything but plain. "Go to bed woman, don't want to get hurt do ya?" the shadowy figure said.

She glanced back at her son working out what was going on. The man hurdled himself at her then. This time she couldn't avoid his weight so instead she grabbed for his wrist while her right hand forced him back. She caught part of the handle and part of the blade in her left palm and jerked it from his hand. Her palm felt damp as she pushed hard on the intruder.

He lost his balance and stepped backwards, once, twice. On this third steps his foot slide on a piece of glass and Catelyn just saw his arms flail trying to grab anything. His entire body fell back and he caught his lower back on the jiggered edge of the window then with a pained scream his feet lifted into the air and he fell through the window to the ground below.

There wasn't a thud like she expected, only a crack and a dying grunt. Cat dropped the blade then tiptoed around the shards of glass covering the floor to look out the broken window. She saw the man draped over the back of the summer wolf statue under Bran's window. His body was limp but there was a cold glazed glint in his open eyes that Cat could just make out.

A sleepy groan came from behind her "Mom?" Bran yawned pulling himself up with his elbows "Who was that" he squealed in a boyish voice.

Catelyn suddenly felt a surge of pain pulsing through her left hand. She grabbed tightly on the bottom of her robe trying to stop the blood gushing from wound. The hall lights had come on and voices were rushing to Bran's room. Catelyn went to her son holding her robe tightly and clenching her teeth "it is ok Bran" she whispered taking his hand in her good one. _No one will hurt you again, not while I am around, they will not take you away from me_ she thought.

Bran wrapped his arms around her, hugging tighter that he ever had when he was a little boy. The corner of her eye caught the shine of the blade on his bedroom floor. It was a glorious blade with a decorated handle that winked even in the smallest amount of light. The rubies on the handle and the blood on the blade gleamed red. _Lannisters red _she concluded.


	5. Chapter 5 - Welcome Home

**Chapter 5 – Welcome Home**

**Ned**

The private meetings were held in a part of the White House Ned had never seen before. It was a room far away from the tourist routes and areas other politicians could get to.

It was casual room with sofas and a fire burning to overcome the frosty January outside. In the centre was a long table and name plates with the names of all those attending. Only six people attended the meeting and were the official councillors for the President. Ned had been told that the majority of Robert best decision happened at that table.

Ned was the last to arrive and he was uncharacteristically late for the meeting. All but two of the seats were taken. A straight faced butler escorted Ned to his seat, poured him a glass of water then left the room completely like the other bystanders.

The men at the table stood to greet Ned. The man to his right was unmistakably Renly Baratheon. He was Robert's representative from the Baratheon family as the only one of the three brother who still owned part of the Baratheon industry. Also unlike his older brothers he was never in the army and didn't fight in the Valyria wars as he was only eight at the time. He wasn't a politician like his brother either but he had a university education and inherited the Baratheon charisma which made him a fixture in Robert's small council. He shook Ned's hand warmly like greeting a distant older brother and in some way he was.

Opposite Renly on the other side of the table was the head of the FBI, Varys. Ned never learnt his first name but he knew he was foreign. Some rumours said he was a part of the Targaryen's spy unit in Valyria but those rumours had been silenced. Varys helped feed the president's paranoia with his insight knowledge into every singles corner of the government and all the richest families in America. Tapping computers, phone calls, having spies around every turn and some said his little birds hid in the walls especially in the White House and in Congress.

"It is good to see you again Ned Stark and congrates on being elected Vice-President" Pycelle said from across the way from him. He was the only other person there who was an elected politician and was second to Ned as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was an old man, feeble and losing his hearing but was only really there as a runner boy between the small council and congress.

Ned smiled to Pycelle "I am glad to finally meet you all and I am hoping we can work well together. Will President Robert be arriving soon?"Ned took a sip from his glass studying their faces.

A smirk came from the man furthest away from him. Ned had never met him before even when he was a senator but he had seen enough pictures to know who he was. "Mr Baelish, is something funny?" Ned asked coldly to the smirking man. Petyr had been a friend of Cat's since they were children and was well known for having a schoolboy crush on her for almost thirty years. Now he was Robert's economic adviser and accountant.

"I was just wondering who forgot to mention that our wonderful President Robert does not attend these meetings and hasn't for about six years." He took a sly swig of his drink inspecting Ned over the top of his glass.

"It's true" Renly said breaking Ned's glare away from Petyr "It probably isn't kind to compare my brother to Hitler but they certainly have a similar ruling style. Have you ever heard of the phase divide and rule Mr Stark?"

"Of course but I can't imagine Robert taken a step back from control, he isn't like that" Ned remembered watching his friend lead an entire army into battle when Robert was merely a Corporal. He was furious when generals tried to take command from him, Robert had caused an small uprising in his camp and taken control himself. It was largely looked over when people talked about his war years because this could be considered treason.

"Maybe that was the Robert you knew, but since then he has taken a step back from ruling." Pycelle croaked clearing his throat "If we may continue gentlemen, we have some minor qualms we need to sort out. It will only be brief Mr Stark, nothing too strenuous for your first day." He smiled thinly and passed around a few folders.

Ned wasn't too down about working on his second day of being in Washington. He didn't really want to be stuck in his new house. The decor was something that needed to be changed, all the sickly floral patterns gave him migraine, but the warzone between his daughters was something altogether more painful.

When Arya was called from her room to have dinner with Ned and Sansa the evening before, the small squeal Sansa let out couldn't express the shook Ned felt. Arya's long dark hair had been complete shredded and was now barely touching her ears. At the back it was slightly longer where she had struggled to reach.

It wasn't just the hair that shocked Ned. It was the murderous glare Arya pinpointed on Sansa. After a Mexican standoff lasting only a moment Sansa snapped "What have you done to your hair?"

Arya curled her fists taken on a pugnacious stance "Why does my hair concern you"

"You look like a little boy" Sansa spat, she set you cutlery down gently and sized up her sister in her own controlled way.

"And you look like a stupid little girl. Count your lucky stars that you do because it is the only reason why I am not beating the shit out of you right now"

Ned almost shouted at his daughter for using such language but Sansa squeak stopped him "I have done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment."

"NOTHING?" was all Arya barked before launching forward at her sister. Jory stepped in to pull the tiny Arya from Sansa. She was shrieking like a wild animal "You are a liar! You don't even care about us. You betrayed me, your own FUCKING sister for some boy you barely know you dumb bitch" she screamed grabbing hold of Sansa's hair.

Sansa only defended herself, she grabbed her sister wrists and tripped her up. The vice like grip Arya had on Sansa's head pulled her down to the floor as well. They scuffled for a few moments before Jory could prise Arya away "How can people call you a Stark and not Jon?!" Arya fought against Jory's grip but it was no use.

Sansa got to her feet gracefully but the curtain fell and she ran off crying up to her room. Arya was sent to her room as well. They were grounded, Sansa argued through her tears because she had plans with Joffery. Arya had to go to a hairdresser and have her hair properly cut as her punishment.

The house had been silent after that but he could hear Sansa crying long after the argument had finished. Ned took care to politely ask Sansa why she was crying, she said it was because Arya hurt her head so he took that as fact. That morning they were given the task of spending the day together after Arya got her hair sorted. Their Nanny, Mordane, would escort them around the monuments and hopefully keep the peace.

"Robert is planning to host a party for your arrival" Renly said flicking lazily through one of the folders.

Ned shook his head "That really isn't necessary, I have already attending enough parties recently to last me a life time."

"The President has insisted" Varys piped up "Also I believe seeing you with Robert will help boost morale within congress."

"Why would we need to boost morale? The congress is mostly democratic, they follow Robert anyway." Said Ned.

Varys looked awkward with the sudden attention from the group "Not as much support as you would hope. I don't want to get into detail now but this event could be necessary for your introduction to our friends in congress but also our important friends outside politics. A fairytale story got Robert into power, if the story isn't continued then there is a fear of people becoming restless. Also your daughter's relationship with Joffery Baratheon will be great for publicity."

Ned sideways glanced at Varys "Sansa is not with Joffery Baratheon." He was going to ask about how Varys knew about Sansa's affections for Robert's son but decided best not to pry into what this man knew about his family's personal life. "How much will this event cost to host?"

Several of the men turned to Petyr who was making notes on the paper in front of him "Well, booking venues, catering, decoration, licences for camera crews to be there, transport for guests and all the touches. It will be a fair cost, more expensive than any event your have thrown up north in your Winterfell. I heard your ancestral home is slap bang in the mild of nowhere."

"It's in the countryside of New Jersey, please stay focused Mr Baelish" Ned went to take another drink as if the coarseness of his voice was because of a dry throat.

"The problem isn't how much it will cost. It is where we can get the money to blow on a ridiculously extravagant party. It is the president's wishes but he rarely gives us any pointers, we could borrow from the tax payers –"

"Absolutely not" Ned said before Petyr could finish "Such a thing will cause public outrage and I want to avoid that at all costs."

"Okay," Petyr smirked again "We could take money from the Baratheon's and Stark's personal funds."

This time Renly showed his disagreement with a dramatic sigh. "You mean take it from my money so he can show 'Starks and Baratheons becoming one again'. I don't wish for the Stark to pay for the entire thing but you will not use my money from my business"

"Well we can't use Robert's nonexistent money anymore. We will just have to borrow from the Lannisters again."

Ned discreetly shuddered "I don't want to rely on Lannister's money for anything"

"Well it is too little too late for that" Petyr grinned with annoyance "Mr Stark, you are new to these meetings so I suggest you learn quickly how things work. We do our best to meet Robert's wishes and keep this country running as smoothly as possible. We don't ask questions or argue. We find the money and the tools and we do what we have to do. We have succeeded for all these years because we have made important connection that we use to our advantage. If you can't deal with that then you will not last long on this council."

Ned's eyes narrow inspecting the man in front of him. "What is that comment supposed to mean?"

Petyr's face softened into a lighter smile "You're a good man, why else would Catelyn have given herself so wholly to you. You are also a good politician and you are honourable to your country. If we worked together, these next four years will pass as a breeze and Robert can step down with pride and class. If you decided to fight the system then you will find these four years will be almost impossible. It is your choice Ned Stark, the next move is yours"

Ned straightened up "I will pay for this event, and in future we will not turn to the Lannisters at all, they will have no involvement in decision making neither will they have any power over this government. This country wasn't built by the richest; it was built by those who wanted freedom and those who wanted democracy. I have been fighting for that for many years. If any of you want to undermine my goals then I will make sure you do not set foot in congress or in Washington DC ever again. Do I make myself clear."

Petyr took a second to analyse Ned then smirked with untold pleasure "As you wish Ned Stark, as you wish."

* * *

**Arya**

Sansa finally stopped crying long enough for them both to leave that overly flowery hell hole that was Arya's new 'home'. She didn't cry in front of Arya, she never cried in front of anyone as much as she could help it, but Arya could hear her through the walls. The worst part was when she got an angry phone call from Robb telling her to apologise. "Why should I say sorry, I have done nothing wrong" Arya had whined down the phone earlier that day.

Robb sighed heavily "She is crying Arya, she is really upset."

"And because I am not crying it means I'm not upset?" She didn't want to argue with Robb. They rarely argued at home and when they did it could easily be fixed by playing Call of Duty and just shooting the hell out of each other. When she was so far away, the argument would just linger between them. "Fine, I'll say sorry, but I won't mean it"

"Arya" Robb said forcefully trying to sound like their dad. She hung up on him before swearing at her phone. _Why should I apologise to her, I have done nothing to her, she's the one that betrayed us_.

Arya went to her fancy mirror and fixed her new pixie cut hair. It was more even than it had been when she cut it. It was less than 3 inches long and the front and slightly longer than the back. The hair dresser said she looked like Mia Farrow but her face shape made her look like a boy. Arya completed her new look with a tartan shirt under a burgundy sweater that had belonged to Robb, some blue jeans and black boots.

When she was down stairs Sansa glanced at her coldly but smiled "You're hair looks nice" she was the worst liar Arya had ever met.

Mordane was there as well so Arya chose not to say what she really thought of her sister compliment. "Thank you, your face doesn't look as puffy as it did the last time I saw you" Sansa blushed heavily and Mordane glared at her. "What? It was a compliment"

Sansa didn't talk to her after that. Even in the car driving through the winding rows of trees and pompous houses. Mordane sat between them in the back making polite conversation with the driver. Arya would have preferred Jory to be taking them but he was busy with their father in the White House. Jory wouldn't put up with Sansa's attitude or at least try and make her laugh. Mordane was a walking finished school and hated dealing with arguments and emotional issues. She was always constantly correcting Arya's grammar, telling Arya to stand up straight, to be polite, to be more like Sansa, to eat with her mouth closed, to use her knife and folk in the right hands, be more like Sansa. "Why oh why can't you be more like Sansa." She had heard it a hundred times over.

There Land Rover pulled up near the National Mall. "Arya, legs closed when you exit a vehicle." Mordane called after her as Arya got out of the car and looked for anywhere to run away from the both of them.

"I'm wearing jeans" she shouted back. Mordane said something about manners but Arya didn't really care. She shut her eyes and felt the winter wind hit her face and brush over her exposed ears. It felt good to be out again. It felt like freedom. Then she opened her eyes. Tourists were bustling about her snapping photos, some school girls on a field trip were laughing gleefully, yowling children cried about being cold, and hunger, and bored.

Sansa got out the car still looking miserable and started to follow Mordane down the National Mall. Their nanny started giving a rehearsed speech about the history of the great stretch leading up to the thing Jon had named the Pointed Dick Statue. Then there was another building that looked exactly the same as another one. Arya didn't care, all she knew one looked like a dick and her attention span drifted away.

"Are you listening to me?" Mordane asked, Arya thought she was talking to her but she was talking to Sansa.

"Yes of course, it is just that me and Joffery came down here when it was dark. It was beautiful and... Arya!" Sansa shouted after her.

Arya had started walking in the opposite direction with her fist tightly clenched. "Arya, get back here" Mordane called losing her politeness she always pushed for the girls to maintain.

Arya span to face her sister "Why should I?" She belted harshly gathering the attention from on lookers "So I can hear you skip around talking about how amazing Joffery is?"

She gasped and looked hurt "Why can't you just like him Arya, why can't I be happy, why must you always want to ruin everything for me?" She started to whimper but quickly pulled it back, straightening up with her head high like a soldier standing to attention.

Arya grunted "Sansa, I know you pretty damn well, you are beautiful and stupid. This boy has been training all his life how to manipulate people and has always gotten his own way. He won't make you happy"

"You don't know him!"

"He attacked Mycah without even being provoked then he had his dog beat him up till he was broken and bloody. Back in Winterfell he would have done the same to Robb or Jon. What makes you think you are any different?"

"I can think for myself and make my own decisions. I am not stupid" Sansa whined looking uncomfortable about the growing crowd that was starting to recognise them.

"Then start acting like you have a brain or you'll lose your whole family" Arya turned again and ran. Away from Sansa and her stupidity, away from the crowd that started to take pictures, away from Mordane who would have shouted louder if she wasn't such a lady_. Seriously where are you running to? Why are you running? This is insane Arya you are going to get lost _her mind mumbled but she wasn't listening.

She found the nearest bus stop and halted. Looking up at the sky she could feel her eyes welling up. She wanted to be home again, to be free in the woods, to be riding, to go under-aged drinking with Jon in Atlantic City, to be in school with her friends bunking off class to travel to New York and sit in a pretentious bar that no tourists knew about.

It was the freedom that she missed, when Sansa felt more comfortable with structure and being told what to do, Arya wanted to lead people, to see new places, wild places. A bus pulled up and she stepped on rummaging in her pocket for any notes. She found a few that will pay for a trip. "Where do you want to go sir?" the driver asked.

"Err, as far as this amount of money will take me" She said passing him some of the notes she had. He frowned at her but took it anyway.

She found a seat, put her iPod in and just watched the world go by. It was almost 45 minutes later when the bus driver called to her. "End of the line boy I need you to get off"

She was about to correcting him from calling her a boy but instead got off the bus. This place was not anything like the inner city of Washington or Kings Landing. She was in the suburbs, the place reminded her of the time she visited Queen's, the houses were simply built and surrounded by low metal fences, but she felt far scarier than anywhere she had been before. There was a burnt out car near where she was standing and she could hear a dog barking a few leagues away from her.

_I must be brave, I have come this far, I can't go back now like a puppy with her tail between her legs. _Her heart jumped as she thought she heard gunfire but it was just a car backfiring _you are a fucking idiot Stark_, her mind told her.

Arya went looking for somewhere she could go to get out of the open. She looked around, way past three blocks of houses and saw a small bar. It was perfect to get a drink, or maybe make a phone call, or cry and wallow in her own stupidity.

The bar was as beat up and dingy on the inside as it was on the outside. There was a simple bar and a few tables dotted about. A pool table was in a shadowy corner but the fabric had been torn and a pool cue hung broken on the wall. She went up to the bar and saw an old black haired man looking down at her puzzled.

"What can I get you laddy?" he asked her in a slightly English accent.

She stood up tall and bold wondering how much money she had, she had enough to buy her way home and maybe a drink, _and not enough that I have to worry about being mugged, it's the perfect amount._

"Can I have a drink, what are you serving?"

"Beer" the man responded glancing her up and down, _does he really think I'm a boy?_ She wondered, _or is he making fun of me?_

"Can I have one of those then?"

He laughed loudly "No you cannot, how old are you 10? Scram now" He waved a dish cloth at her. She heard some boys laughing from the corner by the broken pool table, "Go home kid" a weedy one shouted "Your kind doesn't belong here, look at him, looking like a proper little hipster,"

"Yeah, I know right, them boots must be worth a bit" the fat one next to him chuckled lightly. The third one lurked in the back, black hair hanging over his face.

Arya stepped backwards and knocked into a guys arm and she felt liquid spill from his drink and trickle down her back. "What the fuck, you stupid little shit" she faced the man boldly. He had incredibly sharp teeth and wasn't much taller than her but what he lacked in height he made up for in girth.

She was about to say sorry when another far taller man grabbed her by the scruff of her sweater. "You're not from around here, let me fill you in. I'm Rorge and this is Biter, you fuck around with us and I'll mess your face up." He dropped her, sneering down his stub of a nose. "Run back to your whore of a mother."

"My mother is not a whore!" Arya bellowed finding her voice, _it's just fighting talk _she told herself but her fists still curled and her heart thudding sending waves of adrenaline around her veins. She stood in a fighting stance with her legs evenly balanced and her shoulders and hips facing forward. "I am not afraid of you, you are nothing but a bully and bullies never win." He voice was high but steady. She had gained the attention of the entire bar, even the boys that made fun of her were looking.

The two brutes laughed harshly, then the one named Rorge bent low till his face was inches from hers "You sure you're not afraid of us little boy? I could cut off your cock and make you choke on it." He chuckled in such a way that it made her stomach churn.

_You are a Stark and a soldier. You have trained for eight years to face villains like this, you will not cower_. The thought made her brave, and so did the feeling of the blade of her pen knife in her pocket. A little too brave. She smirked at him "You'll have to catch me first." She drew her leg back and brought it forward hard, hitting Rorge straight between his legs.

The huge man keeled forward clutching his groin. He made a noise that reminded her of a hippo yawning. "You little dick" he groaned falling to his knee.

She was too busy marvelling her work, she didn't see the Biter swing a great fist at her. Luckily his great size made him slow. She ducked and leaped back sizing up the both of them. Rorge was still groaning on the floor while the Biter was running at her.

She ran heavy footed in her clucky boots and tried to remember what her instructor had told her, never turn your back to an opponent, never use an offensive attack before a defensive, and never fight an opponent when you don't know their weaknesses. She was doing all these things now.

Arya pulled herself on the pool table and looked down at Biter, he grinning at her showing his pointed teeth. He circled her a few times still with the grin on his face, "When I get my hands on you I'll break your fucking legs."

Arya carefully knelt down making sure he eyes were always on Biter. She picked up the blue chalk and crushed it in the palm of her hand. "You can't catch me if you can't see me" She opened up her hand slightly and blew the powdered chalk into Biter's face. He hissed covering his eyes.

Arya took the chance to run. She turned quickly and caught the door in the corner of her eyes. She didn't see the pool cue swing towards the side of her face. The wood caught on her eyebrow and for a moment she saw nothing at all, when she blinked she was face the ceiling. She had fallen from the pool table on to the stone floor. Her face burning on her right side and her eye was profusely watering. D_on't cry, it doesn't hurt that bad_ she told herself, but the pain was worse than anything she had felt before.

She lifted her head to see who hit her and if they were going to try again. It was Rorge holding the Cue but now he was standing very still looking towards the bar. The Bartender was there point a shotgun at the man's torso. "Get the hell out of my bar you son of a whore" he cursed focusing his eye at the large target "And take your friend with you, you're both bared for life"

Rorge was about to argue, he lift the pool cue in the air in a threatening way but then threw it to the floor "This place is shit anyway" he shouted not taking his eyes off the Bartenders gun.

He went to Biter, he was kneeling on the floor rubbing his red, blood-shot eyes. "I'll kill you!" he shouted at Arya. Rorge said nothing to her, he only grabbed Biter and dragged him out of the door.

Everything went quiet then and Arya tried not to focus on the pain oozing through the side of her head. The Bartender kneeled down next to her, all around her a small crowd had gathered. "Looks like it's just bruising could be a fracture though. Lommy go behind the bar and get us three shots of vodka, steal anything and I'll do it Arab style and take your hands."

The lanky boy who had mocked her earlier went and returned with a clear liquid in a glass. The Bartender poured some of it over the wound making it seer with pain then he passed the rest of the drink to her "Drink this, it will help with the pain"

Arya did as she was told and it did kind of helped, it made her focus on the burning sensation in her throat rather than the one of the side of her head.

"That was epic" Lommy said to his fat friend "This guy right here is a ninja, what's your name?"

Arya wasn't thinking straight, _he thinks I'm a boy, I should correct him, I should tell him I am Arya Stark and my father is vice-president and that the CIA will kill anyone that hurts me_ "My name is 'Arry" she sighed feeling like she was about to be sick.

A hand reached down and helped her to her feet. It was the black haired boy, he meet her with a curious glare but said nothing. He was handsome and familiar looking but Arya couldn't quite point out where she had seen him before, but he must have been at least four years older than her. He wore a flannel shirt with the arms rolled up exposing a hint of a tattoo.

Lommy spun her towards him, the room was already spinning around her anyway, now it was doing triple summersaults and summoning devils. She needed to sit down now. "I'm Lommy, but people call me Greenhands. That is Hot Pie, not his real name of course but he has earned it by making the best pies, and also he is really really fat. This mopping guy is Gendry, ignore his sulk, it's just his face. And that, is Yoren" he pointed to the bartender "Our adopted father. Yoren, get us four beers this fucking Trooper deserves it" Lommy put his arm around Arya and walked her to a table in the corner of the room.

"Why do they call you Greenhands?" Arya asked trying to make conversation. She sat down and wanted to slam head into the table and pass out. She didn't though. The three boys sat around her, Hot Pie and Lommy stared at her intrigued, Gendry got out his phone and fiddled with it looking bored.

"He's a stoner" Yoren butted in putting a bottle of beer in front of Arya. "Don't drink too quickly Harry, it won't be good for your head" he smiled lightly "Thank fuck you gave me an excuse to bar those guys, they have been causing me grief for years."

"Harry is clearly a ninja" Hot Pie said before taking a large gulp of his beer "Did you see the way he jumped up on the pool table. He flew" He patted Arya on the back "We need a guy like this around, we never hang around with cool people"

Arya wanted to smile stupidly then but merely shrugged like she didn't care. Lommy continued to reel off every moment of the 'fight' making exaggeration and mimicking the noise Rorge made when she kicked him in the balls. The whole time she was completely aware of Gendry staring at her, not saying a word to her and only answering questions with "Yeah".

Her head stopped spinning about two hours later and she thought it was safe to risk the journey home. "I've got to go guys" she said casual gathering herself up and pretended not to be effected by the three bottles of beer and the shot of Vodka.

"Aww, you can't just leave us now, you have to come again. You're fucking awesome Harry." Lommy beamed at her then stared scribbling something on a coaster in front of him "Call us when you are coming down again, we're always here after school" he passed it to her and then shook her hand "It was great meeting ya"

"Likewise" she chirped trying to sound cool. Before leaving the bar completely she went to see Yoren to thank him for helping her. "No problem kid, but get that checked out by your Mom when you get home, it won't be a pretty sight I tell you, see you soon mate" with that she went out into the street.

It was dark out now but now it didn't scare her. _They think I'm cool,_ her mind squealed with giddy excitement _they want to be my friend, to have beers with them. They also think you're a boy _another part of her mind said.

She had never been so excited about meeting people in her life, and they seemed so normal. Except for Gendry, who didn't talk, and Lommy's excessive drugs habit, they seemed like the most down to earth people she had met since she had got to Washington and it was only the second day. She felt the coaster in her pocket and smiled girlishly to herself. _And what is one simple lie, they don't need to know I'm a girl_.

Back at the bus stop a bus did arrive eventually that would take her to the city centre and outside the White House. When she took her seat she found that on her phone she had 17 missed calls from Sansa, Jon, Jory, Mordane, and her dad. "Shit" she whispered under her breath. _Who will be the least angry with me?_ She wondered and concluded it would be Jory.

She rung him and caught sit of her face in the glass "Holy fucking Christ!" she said looking at her right eye. It had swollen to the size of a peach, it was bulbous and red with a hideous scar in her eyebrow, it was already starting to bruise a purplely colour under her eye and down her cheek.

"Arya?!" Jory shouted from the other end of the phone.

"Oh yeah hi, I need picking up, I'll be outside the White House in forty minutes."

"Arya where the hell have you been we have been worried sick, your father has got his whole security team looking for you."

"Oh, I'm really sorry, I'll tell you it all when I get back, I am really sorry Jory I hope I didn't fuck everything up too much" She groaned holding her face in her hand "Fuck, I don't need another reason for everyone to hate me."

"Who hates you?"

"Everybody does!" She forgot she was on a bus with other people then "Sansa hates me, so does Robb and now you and dad. I just keep messing everything up"

"Little lady, I don't hate you, and neither does your brother or your sister, we just are glad you are safe. I'll be outside the White House, I'm just going to call your dad and tell him you're ok and that I'm coming to get you."

She rubbed the tears away from her eyes "Thank Jory, I owe you. I'll see you soon."

"I'll see you soon Arya" he hung up.

Everything was ok, she was going back to her flowery room and she'll message everyone to tell them that she was ok. If that was the case why did she still feel so shitty? Like she had let everyone down?

She listened to music and tried to focus away from everything, especially the pain that was rising in her cheek again.

When the bus pulled up at the stop on Pennsylvania Avenue she got off and looking down for a Black Land rover and Jory. Instead she saw her dad sitting on a bench huddled in his coat. It was the first time in a long time she had seen him out not surrounded by an entourage of PAs and security team. He was there all alone with greying hair and grey eyes.

When he caught sight of her he exhaled showing his relief. He stood up and walked towards her, even at one point jogged "Arya, I've been trying it..." he trailed off when he saw her swollen eye. Kneeling down in front of her he took her face between his hands "Who did this to you"

"It isn't anything bad, just some nasty people picking fights with me, it got a bit ugly, I'm fine now though, it looks worse than it is." She smiled meekly seeing the sadness in her dad's eyes.

"Oh Arya" he sighed shaking his head. "Where did you go, you shouldn't run off."

"I am fourteen years old" She pointed out with a childish whine.

"Yes, you are only fourteen years old and you are in a new city my darling, it is dangerous." He stood up and started walking her back to the bench with his hand on her shoulder.

"I can look after myself, I have been doing mixed martial arts for years" She looked at her dad feeling weak, he wasn't going to listen to her. No one ever did.

"A fight on the street is not the same as one in a training hall or even in a competition." He sat down on the bench and she sat next to him "On the street people they don't fight fair, they don't care if you are on your own, five men will attack you and leave you for dead." She looked sadly at the floor "Why did you run away from Mordane?"

She shrugged "I didn't want to be around Sansa, I know I shouldn't have kicked Joffery, I know and I feel really guilty but she should have stood up for me, I am her little sister, I am her family and she chose a boy over me."

Ned sighed putting his arm around his daughter "I know it looks bad but she feels just as guilty. You have to see it this way Arya, Joff is a very important boy, not just because of his dad but also because of his own place in government, and your sister likes him a lot. If she humiliated Joffery by saying you bested him in a fight it would have made our whole family enemies of the Lannister, we don't need any more excuses for people to be against us."

_Any more excuses? Are people already against us?_ She chose not to ask "I guess you right, I just... I miss my brothers, I am so lonely here without them and especially now Sansa isn't talking to me." She thought for a second "I don't want to be away from the family for four years just doing nothing, but what I could do is join the army when I turn sixteen and I'll stop being such trouble."

Ned's jaw went tight but his eyes looked softly at her "You are not joining the army, I am sorry but your mother and I have decided."

"But dad!" She squeaked "I am failing school, I am never going to get a good job and I can't exactly become a prostitute with my looks."

"You are very pretty Arya, but I don't want you becoming a prostitute either." He humoured her with a smile on his face but there was a serious tone in his voice "What you should do is go to school till you are eighteen then maybe go to university, find a husband, and have children. I'll be happier that way, you don't have to risk your life needlessly."

"That's not what I want dad" She shook her head and kept looking at the floor "I want freedom"

"You won't get freedom in the army" he said lifting up her chin, he exhaled studying her face "I want you to go to school and get an education, I want you to study hard and look at all your options because you are a smart girl and your brain needs to be used. In return I will let you have the freedom, you can live the life of a normal teenager and I'll attempt to keep you away from the public eye, and I will get you a martial arts instructor just like you did in New Jersey. So you can be a fighter in your own way, you can protect yourself when I'm not here to."

She smiled at him taking the offer "Yeah, ok I agree with that... I'm sorry for running off."

"It doesn't matter, as long as you are safe nothing else matters. Just keep me updated next time." He kissed her on the forehead and moved away from her to stand up "Oh, by the way I have talked to your mother before I came here and you are grounded for a month."

Arya gawped at him but then smiled "Fine" she wouldn't grounded for long and she'll text Lommy tonight asking him when they can next meet up.

As they walked around the corner to a parked Land Rover with Jory behind the wheel, Arya took a second to admire the White House and finally saw what all these stupid structures were a symbol for. It was everything Arya had wanted but she didn't know until that moment that she would find it in this place. It was Freedom, freedom to make her own decisions and be who she wanted to be.


End file.
